Bully - B+

Rated PG-13, 94 minutes

 "Bully" is the new documentary from award-winning filmmaker Lee Hirsch that deals with the ever-growing problem of bullying in the U.S. educational system. Pertinent, heartbreaking and touching, Hirsch's flawed documentary has some lofty goals to accomplish in educating on the problem and helping prevent it. "Bully" is best when it examines the real, heartfelt stories of what bullying has done. There's young teen Alex in Iowa who is picked on for his lankish size and demeanor; there's Kelby in rural Oklahoma, who faces the challenges of being a young lesbian in a small town, and there's Ja'Maya in Mississippi, who was pushed to the limits and nearly made some tragic choices. Then there's the students who took their own lives as a result of bullying and the families left behind; Hirsch speaks with the families of Ty Small in Oklahoma and Tyler Long in Georgia, each of whom were bullied to the point they took their own lives. "Bully" is most affecting when it gives voice to the families and victims affected by bullying allowing them to tell their own story in their own words, but there are many complexities to the situation that "Bully" seemingly overlooks or skims. What more can be done by schools to prevent it? What can be done by parents and adults to prevent it? What factors may prompt bullying and what should parents and adults look for? Sometimes, especially in the case of Alex, who's prominently featured in the trailers for the film, that the set up seems so easy that it casts a few questions on Hirsch's filmmaking skills. Why do the kids continue to pick on Alex when the cameras are rolling, and why do his school administrators appear so shortsighted on camera? Digressions aside, while "Bully" is a flawed film, it's relevant and affecting enough that it can be used to open up a dialogue about an issue affecting many people.