Bang Bang You're Dead (film)


Bang Bang You're Dead is a 2002 American crime thriller drama film starring Tom Cavanagh and Ben Foster. It is based on the play of the same name by William Mastrosimone. The film was first screened publicly at the Seattle International Film Festival in June 2002.

Plot

16-year-old Trevor Adams attends an American high school where he is one of the outcasts harassed and humiliated by the school's jocks. Probably to attract attention, he made a false threat to bomb the school a few months ago, narrowly escaping expulsion. Since then, Trevor has been trying to fit back in to normal high school life. He joined a theater group and has been chosen to star in a school play about school shootings called Bang Bang You're Dead as the main character, Josh. After parents and the community hear of the play and its lead actor, they call for it to be canceled.
But Trevor's theater activity, alone, is not sufficient to let off the steam of his boiling resentment. Using his video camera, he has been documenting bullying at school, creating a "diary of violence".
Trevor and his friends Sean, Mark and Kurt, make plans to storm the school with guns and kill as many of the hated athletes as possible. Trevor meets Jenny, also 16, who stays by him and stands up for him. Through her, Trevor begins to doubt whether the act he plans is right.
In the end, he is the only one to realize that bloodshed only fuels more violence and hatred, and evacuates the school with his art teacher, Mr. Duncan. At the last minute, Trevor prevents bloodshed by overwhelming Kurt, Sean and Mark.
The film ends with the play premiering successfully, despite the initial protests of the students' parents.

Cast

The song "Runaway Train" by post-grunge band Oleander was featured in the film. A music video for the song was then shot and incorporated footage from the movie. On November 19, 2002 the band released their Runaway Train EP. The film was released on DVD on January 27, 2004 without any special features.

Awards