Avaliações de usuários

After a big homecoming Glen Ridge High School football game, several muscular young men are shown undressing and showering. After the shirtless credits, we meet attractive hometown detective Ally Sheedy (as Kelly Brooks) at the post-game celebration. Also present is "mildly retarded" student Heather Matarazzo (as Leslie Faber). A mainstreamed special education student, Ms. Matarazzo is infatuated with the handsome football players and imagines she is dancing with them. Rumors in Glen Ridge are that Matarazzo was assaulted with a broom and baseball bat in a basement, by members of the school's beloved football team. Assisted by prosecutor Eric Stoltz (as Robert "Bob" Laurino), Ms. Brooks investigates...

There is something wrong with this story. It may be that it was dramatized as an ABC-TV movie and had to hesitate. It was based on a true story, but this review is only going to cover what is depicted on screen. We are led to believe a significant group of students would watch a young woman raped with a broom, baseball bat and stick. The young men demonstrate no sexual participation or gratification. The young woman seems upset but okay after the acts and promises not to tell. Something this brutal, this sadistic, and nobody called 9-11? Nobody took her to the hospital? Guess that's possible, but the barbarism may be overstated. If not, the level of evil present suggest the football players should be put away for life...

To be fair, there are a couple of times when we hear about other sexual activities. For example, Matarazzo states Scott Vickaryous (as Paul Archer) wanted her to "play" with him. Later, we learn oral sex may have been a part of the experience. These, and other possible sexual encounters, are not seen. Also troubling is how the defendants and their enablers are almost universally unlikable. Even the non-jock "good guy" Kett Turton (as John Tierney) advocates rape with his van sign, "Jocks will see what it feels like to get raped in jail." He expresses the view that rape is okay, under specific circumstances. Yet, the story does examine the glorification of athletes and the tendency to cover-up their lapses into lawlessness...

Finally, the performance by Matarazzo of a mentally disabled young woman is stellar. Her "Leslie Faber" is one of the most touching and realistic portrayals of an intellectually challenged individual, to date. Oddly, there are no "Best Actress" Emmy Award consideration. Anyone who knows people like "Leslie" will see the realistic character traits employed by Matarazzo. Much applause to the actress, her director Guy Ferland and writer Paul Brown for bringing this character to life. This characterization should help people understand how to live with people who are cognitively challenged. It's important to understand "Leslie" and "Louis" (Kevin Howarth) have sexual desires, and we need to react appropriately to their feelings.

******* Outrage at Glen Ridge (5/10/99) Guy Ferland ~ Heather Matarazzo, Ally Sheedy, Eric Stoltz, Sara Botsford

This movie had every good intention and I applaud its search for justice. Heather Matarazzo was phenomenal in her role and portrayed a complex girl's feelings and their ambiguities with great skill and compassion. My feelings are rather strongly pro keeping sports in line with the academic pursuits of others. In too many high schools the athletic departments enjoy unchecked authority; the resultant misbehavior of their students is often allowed - sometimes even encouraged - to a ridiculous extent. And yes, in too many cases the "student" athletes get preferential treatment from adults behaving more like children than their charges. The other characters in the film, among the students, were cardboard if even that and the bias so loaded against them on screen as to cause the film to lose a valuable part of its creditability. They weren't just horrid people in every way but... The film was never intended to be a balanced portrayal of some people who lost all ideas of balance but in so vilifying them throughout, the film itself becomes grotesquely unbalanced. It served its purpose, I suppose, but it really wasn't a good film at all.

Curtis Stotlar

Do not be daunted by the sensational nature of the crime, depicted in this film. The director did not go for shock value. This film is sensitive and poignant despite the grotesque nature of the crime.

This is not your typical made for TV movie. For Heather Matarazzo's performance alone, put this film on your "must see" list. Since the producers used the real names of several perpetrators, I feel confident that the script must be very accurate. (Some of the guilty were shielded from public exposure due to their status as minors.) Most "based on a true story" movies take great liberties with facts, characters and events to make a more dramatic or cohesive film and I tend to dismiss them as entertainment, not documentary.

If you watch this film, I think you will be haunted by the protagonist long after the final credits.

This is a classically constructed based-on-true-events TV-movie from the 1990s, with all that this entails, but it's also fairly well-acted, fairly well-balanced and undoubtedly interesting in its discussions on where to draw the line regarding victims and perpetrators in cases of (alleged) sexual abuse between teenagers. Our Guys recognizes the difficulties involved when mental disability, budding sexuality and peer pressure is mixed into a hotchpotch of boundary-crossing and bad decisions. There are no winners in this story, despite what the parents of these kids so desperately want to cling onto. A committed performance by Ally Sheedy, a sensitive one by Eric Stoltz, and a highly impressive one by Heather Matarazzo as the girl elevates this effective drama.

Before writing about this movie I have to warn you that I have never heard previously about the Glen Ridge r**e (can't use the full word for IMDB standards). Then why did I watch this, you might ask? Well, since in these months I tried to watch as most of Eric Stoltz's movies I could find because I consider him incredibly talented I saw most of his TV movies as well, so one day I stumbled on this one, but in hindsight it was better to skip this one.

Leslie Faber (Heather Matarazzo) is a 17-year old disabled girl that one day in 1989 was r***d with a broomstick and a baseball bat by members of the Glen Ridge High School football team and the case made news although nobody seemed likely to investigate except for detective Kelly Brooks (Ally Sheddy) and attorney Bob Laurino (Stoltz), and they'll make the truth come out.

The idea wasn't bad. But what ruined this for me is that the victim was made to look like she searched for the r**e herself and the jocks did what she wanted when in reality they forced on her. Not only it was disrespectful for the real-life victim but also for disabled people and r**e victims in general. And when Leslie was mocked by a crowd for her disability and it was broadcast on television... that made me lose my patience! It's like putting gravy on the meat and then throwing the meat to a pack of blood thirsty dogs that haven't eaten in a week.

I won't recommend it not even to folks who know the facts because it's such a version full of hatred that makes you wonder if what happened was in the norm.

This film deals with the true case that occurred in Glen Ridge, New Jersey with the graduating class of 1989. Obviously, what the students did to this girl is disturbing and inexcusable. What is also offensive is the attitude of the community, school and parents; the denial and discrimination.

Eric Stoltz is excellent as prosecutor Dan Laurino,who empathizes with the victim (well-done by Heather Matarazzo). The character Ally Sheedy portrays is a detective who used to work in NYC, and is now on the task force, prosecuting the members of the football team who took part in the gang-rape of a mentally disabled student.

There is much denial and deferral of responsibility, the group mentality of "don't make waves" and the accusations that, as an unstable person, the character Matarazzo portrays had deserved, and even asked for, what happened to her. It is the utmost disgrace that American communities like this still react this way.

The next time you see a tragedy in the local news, and a neighbor comments they couldn't believe it happened in his/her neighborhood, chalk it up to the mechanism of denial; the fact that people cannot comprehend such things does not mean they are not happening every day, and that we need stricter laws protecting the disabled. 10/10

I don't care that it's "only" a television movie, this movie is really good. Based on a true story, turned into a book and now this film, it stars Heather Matarazzo as an abused retarded high school girl. She just wants people to like her, so she 'goes along' with her rape, in a very disturbing scene, kind of shocking for television, not titalating at all. The supporting cast is wonderful. Ally Sheedy and Eric Stoltz are the adults in the piece, in charge of bringing the teens who did this awful crime to justice, and they are really good. So are the teen jocks who rape her. A good lesson in safety and 'fitting in', well told, good music and direction, overall this is a very good production and all should be proud to have done it.

Heather Matarazzo was fantastic in this movie, as well as "Welcome To The Dollhouse", both of which center around a young girl who's so desperate to have friends and fit in, even at the expense of her dignity. What really made me sick was not only what those football jerks did to that poor girl but the fact that the whole town believed their side of what happened, with the exception of Ally Sheedy, Eric Stoltz and the girl's parents. In the end, however, the truth finally came out and she got the justice she deserved. I think Heather did such a wonderful job in this movie. She has a lot of guts to agree to play a mentally challenged girl, and I really admire her for that.

This engrossing film, based on true events, is NOT available on DVD in the U.S. -- region 2 DVD is available in the UK. What is up with that? I really think this is an important story and worth being seen. Heather Matarazzo is becoming an increasingly popular actor and her serious work needs to be presented so fans will not think that she's only suitable for quirky sidekick roles (which she fulfills very well). I read the book and when the film came out I was flabbergasted by the power of this story. The culture of pandering to star athletes has come under increasing fire in our region as collegiate recruiting scandals and jock rapes, pro sport criminal behavior, and high school bullying are exposed. Too bad film makers didn't see fit to keep this story in the public eye.

I have seen similar movies several times before, so I didn't really have high hopes before I started watching it. But can admit it was a really good movie, and much better than expected. Heather Matarazzo does a wonderful job as the "victim", and it is easy for us to put ourselves in her situation. She just wants other people to like her...Ally Sheedy does a good job and I was also impressed by the girls mother, played by Sara Botsford. I am not surprised to see this was based on a true story, it was very believable; most people in Glen Ridge believed "their" guys, and of course they can't do anything like this. I am afraid similar things happen every day all over the world :(

I never really thought of seeing this movie, because I thought it would spoil my perfect, picturesque vision of Glen Ridhe, the town I live in. I love my town and I have a lot of amazing friends, and I hang out at the local hot spots. But this really opened my eyes. Sports is a huge influence on popularity at Glen Ridge. I am not very athletic but I am one of the two or three lucky ones who are popular for a reason other than athleticism. The male athletes are, needless to say, Gods, and having one of them as your boyfriend is a ticket to popularity. Living in Glen Ridge and knowing the atmosphere makes it almost obvious that something like this would happen. Even the parents, teachers and police officers look up to these jocks. It is now starting to spread to girls. Please see this movie- it shows a typical suburban small town at a different, and eye opening angle.

This is one of best movies about rape that I have ever seen. I usually do not watch movies about rape since Lifetime shows the same, typically-scripted ones with predictable endings. But this one was quite exceptional. Heather was outstanding in her performance, and the writers were firm at portraying the snobby, reckless, middle-class boys as the gods of the sports-oriented school; then there's that outcasted punk-looking guy that supported Ally's character in understanding the town's fascination with the jocks; and the African-American boy whose honesty was twisted into betrayal, leaving him socially and racially outcasted in the town.

I really enjoy the small-town suburbia chemistry because there are places like that around the country, so this movie makes you more aware of that, and that no matter how bad people turn against you, it's always best to stick to the truth and to fight for justice.

Rating: 9/10

I have to admit, I haven't seen the movie yet. I used to live in Glen Ridge. Graduated from the High School there. HATED the jock mentality. It was pervasive... it got under your skin and left you feeling 'dirty'. I had also been in another high school before, but didn't run across the elevation that the jocks received from everywhere in that town.

When I 1st heard about the incident, (I had graduated a few years before... I didn't know any of the people directly involved,) I hate to admit it, but the thing that came to my mind was: "Of course." And: "Where else, but there?" It sickened me, but (even scarier,) didn't surprise me.

The defense's argument that the rape was excusable because of where they came from, itself was inexcusable. But, again, typical of the town and it's attitude.

They deserved every punishment thrown at them by the courts and then some. And the lawyers should have gotten punished too. I wish there was some way to shift the towns view, but after reading the post earlier from a young woman who still lives in the town, I can't help but think that things haven't changed.

Do I go back for the reunions? I'm thinking.... not.

The film is really great. It shows both the positive and negative effect when we're telling the truth. What will happen to my friend if i reveal the truth about them. Will i ever have another friend. Will I hurt my other friends who trying to help me? - I think these questions is very difficult to respond to especially if you're the one who being put in the same situation as Leslie in the film. I personally really like the film a lot, it shows me the desire of friendship when you're alone, isolated from everyone emotionally because they think you're not part of the group, and i do see this happen a lot especially in the school community and also mostly in a teens environment. I'm every into film making, and i wish to be a film maker in the future years. Thank You

I think Heather Matarazzo is one of the most aspiring young actresses and I think she did an excellent job portraying a 'mentally retarded' girl in Our Guys. I think they should air this movie again or sell it on tape. Everyone should watch it. It is at times depressing and at times uplifting. Despite only being a 15 year old girl, I really felt for the main character and I truly wish that nobody has to go through what she did in the future.