Our Guys: Outrage at Glen Ridge

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.

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.

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 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 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