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I'm going to start this review off by saying that the first time I watched this was when I was 15. Me and a friend were having a sleepover, and we stayed up all night watching IFC when it came on. We had no idea what to expect, only that it was set in a high school (so we could relate) and it had a hot blonde boy in it. Needless to say this film is what made me interested in film study, and media in general.
What a powerful film. Really. It doesn't hold back. It doesn't fluff it with pillows and unicorns. It's just straight brutal.
I also love how watching it you feel like your part of the school, like your 16 again, waltzing the halls.
The cinematography is very indie and was a totally new style that I had never seen before (when I was 15). It caught my attention enough to infulence me to spend the next 6 years of my life (and counting) studying, making and watching film.
I love how the film shows you a broad view of a select number of students and takes you into the life of them, even if it's only for a few hours. The film lets you relate to them whilst reminising about the bullshit you went through in high school. It's a familiar feeling, which makes the long a drawn out shots not so hard to watch.
Another point is that the characters, and the actors have the same names. I think this is a brilliant idea even if some people think it's uncreative. I can see it would give the actors the feel that they really are in this situation by using their real first names. Which in turn makes their acting more realistic. It's also an easy way to effectivly use names that are common, names that you would typically see in public high schools.
This film also has one point where it makes me furious. They spend 90% of the film making you attached to these characters, and in 5 minutes completely massacres them. At first my reaction is like 'dlskhjlksdjgl;sdf WTH!' but I thought about it and came to the conclusion that it was such a good move on Van Sant's part.
These characters, they are not superheroes. They are normal average people with interests and flaws and everything that makes up me and you. They have stories, and lives filled with memories and experiances. They desevre to be heard just as much as us. When it comes to something like school shootings, they are not special. They are Scared, confused, weak and mortal. The reality of it is that an unarmed high schooler is nothing compared to a high schooler armed with bombs and guns. No matter how much you don't want to see the character you connected with the most not get hurt, it's just not logical. Emotionally or physcially, every single person you see in this film gets hurt.
Ok I think I'm done now.
Lastly, the only thing I saw a flaw with was the fact that you can never buy the guns that those boys did over the internet like that. It was too easy, and just not realistic. I had my ex marine friend tell me that fact.
