Anytown

Fairly solid performances from the young cast. For me the film tries to expose the ugliness and shallowness of all the "isms" that exist in the modern Western world. The movie is quite short and has an indie feel about it and I felt it made a good attempt to shed light on a subject that is ignored by mainstream cinema.

The one major problem I see in this movie, is that when it starts to get ugly, there is a redeeming point or vantage point missing. It's just too much in one direction without any sound mind. It would have been good, if someone would at least "say something". But that is also where and why the movie can be devastating.

Of course the movie touches two very hot topics, that do concern the youth from today (or back then). The main actor is really good too. There won't be an easy explanation of course and you shouldn't expect that from this movie. But his support characters are weak (in character and as actors too). Not an easy watch, especially from one point forward, but also with some some major flaws too.

In the end, during the news report, it was sort of portrayed that it was "just" for the boys do have done what they did. It was mentioned that 9/11 effected the youth, and it was said as if they were sympathizing with the murderers rather than the two men that were killed. Not to mention that they didn't say anything about the blatant racism. They were "effected" by 9/11, in which drove them to murder an Indian-American classmate because he was thought to be Arab? As if the fact that they thought he was Arab made it ok. They didn't really address anything but it was cool to watch.

American Bully focuses on the topic of American prejudice towards foreign cultures after the horrific events of 9/11, one of Americas most darkest times where their nation became over zealous in their pride and selfishness, isolating themselves from Middle Eastern nations to the point where a shade of skin or a grown beard is considered a threat on their way of life.

The story follows 4 everyday American teens, Matt, the main, has been expelled from his school for showing a live decapitation video(not shown) to an Indian who he assumes is middle eastern of origin. Seething inside and like any other teenager, decides to party with his friends before he is shipped out to Iraq where his brother is serving. It is until the group come across the helpless kid that had accidentally gotten Matt expelled does the situation go from bad to worse as the American boys themselves submit to the extremists they think they're not.

Fantastic idea but was sadly poorly executed and focused too little on the tension that could have made this film gripping. Most of the actors didn't have much to really work with so it came out as a poor performance.

It is possible that American's could appreciate the film more for living with this type of prejudice right outside their door but fell short anywhere outside their native shores. For similar but a more driven movie, I suggest 'Unthinkable'.

I give American Bully a 3/10

What could have been a really good film was hampered by some heavy handed direction. American Bully tells the tale of four teens, one of them a most charismatic individual leads the other three into a crime of unspeakable horror. Matt O'Leary who has a brother in Iraq and is getting ready to enlist himself gets suspended from school for showing a beheading video from the wars on terror. He thinks that Jonathan Halayalkar ratted him out and Jonathan is darker complexioned. Ergo he has to be one of those Moslem terrorists. In fact he's a Sikh, but what does O'Leary know from Sikhs? Nor do his friends Marshall Allman, Sam Murphy, and Ross Britz.

In fact what do Americans for the most part know from these other cultures? We are a most ignorant people if we were not politicians would not have such an easy time talking us into wars.

In this situation Moslem terrorists don't do themselves any good either. Since the Seventies they've done all kinds of unspeakable acts starting with the massacre of those Israeli athletes at the Munich Olympics. Not hard to hate these people as young O'Leary and his friends do.

But in point of fact they're punks and nothing justifies what they did. And that they chose a Sikh because they don't know the difference, chalk one up for ignorance.

American Bully covers a wide range of troubling issues, hate crimes, bullying, and ignorance and maybe another viewer can add a few more. These issues deserve a better film.