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Review

From the controversial director of Kids comes another vicious kick-in-the-gut tragedy of disaffected youth. Bobby (Stahl) is a college-bound self-loathing homophobe (and possible closet case) who vents his frustrations by beating up and tormenting his slowwitted surfer buddy Marty (Renfro). When Marty's new girl (Miner) and her best friend (Phillips) are subjected to Bobby's relentless abuse, they devise a plan to get rid of the bully once and for all. Were it not based on actual people and events, you'd never believe the teens in Bully could be so sickeningly heartless. Nor that they could be so foolish: once their plot to murder Bobby is formulated, the conspirators broadcast their intentions to friends and strangers all over town; afterwards, they brag about their involvement while each participant secretly caves into their guilt and turns on the other. While there's no denying the sumptuous polish of Clark's sun-splashed imagery (and, as in Kids, his ogling camera lingers over tight young tan flesh), the gruesome subject matter combined with Clark's icy, indifferent point-of-view makes for an unshakably queasy cinematic experience. Definitely not for the squeamish.

 -- Steven D. Segal