Bang Bang You're Dead (2002)

88% of users liked it
(8,042 ratings)

Inspired by a play that has been presented dozens of times to middle- and high-school students throughout the United States, Bang, Bang, You're Dead ponders the possible reasons that outwardly "normal" teenagers periodically resort to Columbine-style violence. The focus here is on Trevor Adams (Ben… More Inspired by a play that has been presented dozens of times to middle- and high-school students throughout the United States, Bang, Bang, You're Dead ponders the possible reasons that outwardly "normal" teenagers periodically resort to Columbine-style violence. The focus here is on Trevor Adams (Ben Foster), an intelligent but hypersensitive high schooler whose troubled past has designated him "at risk." Feeling persecuted by those stronger and more popular than himself, Trevor has already run afoul of classmates and teachers alike by making death threats against the school football team. Now he has aligned himself with a group of fellow "outsiders" who call themselves the Trogs. Indulging in prankery that runs the gamut from merely irritating to potentially dangerous, Trevor and the Trogs plan an all-out deadly assault against their so-called enemies. Although the script points out that peer pressure and bullying has gone beyond the point of harmlessness in today's society, it is careful not to blame any one person or group for what ultimately happens to Trevor; even Trevor himself is shown to be comprised of equal parts villain and victim. First screened at the Seattle International Film Festival, Bang, Bang, You're Dead formally premiered October 13, 2002, over the Showtime cable network. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 27 min.
Directed By: Guy Ferland
Written By: William Mastrosimone
Genres: Drama, Television

In Theaters: Oct 13, 2002 Wide
On DVD: Jan 27, 2004

Critic Reviews

MaryAnn Johanson, Flick Filosopher
[A] bitter film about the dismal atmosphere in which our children are learning today...

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Featured Audience Ratings

Cynthia S

This is one of the strongest pieces of cinema I've seen in a long time, and the most poignant movie I've ever seen regarding the topic of violence in schools. This is an absolute must-see for anyone who takes interest in this topic, anyone who is raising a teen, or those who… More
This is one of the strongest pieces of cinema I've seen in a long time, and the most poignant movie I've ever seen regarding the topic of violence in schools. This is an absolute must-see for anyone who takes interest in this topic, anyone who is raising a teen, or those who wish to go back to that high school experience in the raw to remember what those four years were really like......... It's not often that a film is halfway through the credits and I'm still staring at the screen in awe. It was overall too short but it displayed the clear message that it was obviously trying to send. I think this movie should be shown to every high school, in every class.
Luke B

Bang Bang You're Dead tells an excellent story carried by a brilliant Foster. It's a shame that the message is preached so heavily. The main story sees Foster at school a year after he made a threat against the football team. It has gained him both fear, respect and hatred.… More
Bang Bang You're Dead tells an excellent story carried by a brilliant Foster. It's a shame that the message is preached so heavily. The main story sees Foster at school a year after he made a threat against the football team. It has gained him both fear, respect and hatred. Soon he hangs in the balance between a teacher that wants to help him and a gang of disturbed youths. It shows the reasons that some people go to such destructive lengths, but never excuses their actions. Some of the writing is quite amateurish, especially a joke that fails every time, where the parents get the name of the play wrong. Luckily most of the younglings bring their A game and leave an impression that the message fails to deliver.
jd c

This is such a great emotional and powerful film. This was a made for TV movie that I first caught when they premiered it on Showtime. It's about a shooting that might possibly take place at a troubled teenagers local high school, and unlike the movie "Elephant" this… More
This is such a great emotional and powerful film. This was a made for TV movie that I first caught when they premiered it on Showtime. It's about a shooting that might possibly take place at a troubled teenagers local high school, and unlike the movie "Elephant" this one gives us more insight as to why the troubled teens want to go along with it and focuses a lot more on their emotions. Do not watch this movie if you get depressed easily, because trust me this one is a downer. On the other hand it might actually help you better understand that there are always two sides of the story, and even though these teen offenders wanted to commit such a horrible act, they too were victims as well. Two wrongs do not make a right, and shooting up a school is totally immoral and unjustifiable, but this movie did show that the troubled teens still indeed had much innocence hidden somewhere inside them. Ben Foster is amazing in this movie. His character in the film goes by the name of Trevor Adams, who was recently suspended from his school after he had made a bomb threat. The other teenagers would constantly pick on Trevor, making his life a living hell, but not so much after he returned to his school again. Because of his previous threat, Trevor had put a lot of fear into many of the students, which led them to kind of stay away from Trevor. The only person in the school who seems to understand Trevor is a film teacher named Val Duncan, who asks Trevor to star in a school play about school violence, something that Trevor seems to know a little about. There is also a new girl in school who seems to take a likening in Trevor, and even tries reaching out to him. But there are still things in Trevor's life that he can't escape and when another group of troubled teens, who also get picked on and call themselves "Trogs", start battling it out with the jocks they ask Trevor that he join them. Trevor's now torn from his decision between joining the Trogs or listening to his film teacher's helpful advice. The big problem for Trevor now is that the Trogs actually plan on shooting up their high school and killing all the trouble making jocks. Watching Ben Foster's character in this movie I swear it's like you can almost feel his pain. He plays it so damn well and I never knew when the hell his character was just going to snap with fucking rage. You can tell that his character in the movie was really a good kid at heart, but sadly the people around him just made his life a living hell (which he records on his video camera by the way). The other troubled teens also play a very good part, and believe it or not, you might actually find yourself looking up to these kids at certain points. Everything that these kids go through is just so sad. Again, this movie is very depressing but you should all check it out if you can. By the way, this movie is actually based on a school play and they show it to students in many, many high schools. There is a great message that's told through the play, as well as in the movie.
Todd S

Bang Bang You're Dead is a film based on the high school production by the same name and it is easily one of the most powerful and life-changing movie I've ever seen. This film is 11 years old and talks about bullying in schools, how it's a huge problem instead of… More
Bang Bang You're Dead is a film based on the high school production by the same name and it is easily one of the most powerful and life-changing movie I've ever seen. This film is 11 years old and talks about bullying in schools, how it's a huge problem instead of harmless fun, and how it changes students lives forever. Some students become withdrawn, others depressed, some suicidal, and in the rare cases homicidal. This film follows a bullied student, named Trevor, who is on the edge of becoming all four when his drama teachers asks him to be in the play, Bang Bang You're Dead. It is a play inspired by Columbine, that takes place inside the mind of a school shooter, who is haunted by those he killed. This leads to the main point of this film, will the teacher and play save Trevor or push him over the edge? On a personal note, I was pretty small and got bullied at school, until I hit puberty. This is the first film that was actually able to express all the emotions I've had inside of me for so long. Trevor expresses every feeling and emotion that comes along with being a victim and feeling helpless. By the end of this film, I was crying like a baby. It is honestly one of the most powerful and important films I've ever seen and I only wish that someone would have shown it to me when I was in school.
Leo L

Great!
nathometer

A somber look at the mind of potential killer. I thought this movie was excellent, sadly. It resonated with me not because I suffered the injustices the protaganist suffered, but could easily understand him.