Do movies like this exist because this is the way high schools are or are high schools the way they are because movies like this exist? Sort of along the lines of Woody Allen’s, “life doesn’t imitate art, it imitates bad television.” And then into this increasingly sub-mental menagerie is thrown the rape of a 13 year old girl.
Everyone complains about the extent to which school kids in America are so far down the list when it comes to language skills or math or science. But that is the least of it if this accurately portrays the mentality of our “youth”. So many of these kids are really nothing less than complete assholes.
Unfortunately, there are a bunch of stick figures here too. And they have speaking parts. Besides, this is a whole other world now.
trailer:
youtube.com/watch?v=uSCzahFXMrs
SPEAK
Written and directed by Jessica Sharzer
[b]Melinda [voiceover]: The school board decided that Trojans didn’t send a strong message of abstinence. So we’ll now be the home of the Merryweather Hornets.
…
Cheerleader: What are we supposed to cheer? “We are the hornets, the horny horny hornets!”?
…
Melinda [voiceover]: All that crap you hear on TV about communication and expressing feelings is a lie. No one really cares what you have to say.
Heather: So here’s the plan. We join 5 clubs. One for every day of the week. Not like Latin club, but cool stuff. What do you wanna join? Hey, maybe we can tutor kids at the elementary school. What about your friends from last year? Don’t you know Nicole?
Melinda [voiceover]: I wonder how long it would take for anyone to notice if I just stopped talking.
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Melinda [voiceover]: Gym should be illegal. It’s humiliating.
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Melinda [voiceover]: We’re studying American history for the ninth time in nine years. Every year they say we’re gonna get right up to the present but we always get stuck in the industrial revolution.
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Mr. Neck: My family has been in this country for over 200 years. We built this place. We fought in every war, from the first one to the last one, paid our taxes and voted. So tell me why my son can’t get a job?
[a number of students raise their hand but he ignores them]
Mr. Neck: Reverse discrimination. He wanted to be a firefighter. Went up for the job but he didn’t get it. What I’m suggesting here is maybe if we had closed our boarders in 1900 then real americans would get the jobs they deserved.
[the Native American student raises his hand but the teacher points to Heather]
Mr. Neck: Young lady.
Heather: Um, I think that we’re all foreigners and should just give the country back to the native americans.
Mr. Neck: Now we have a debate, don’t we? “Native Americans”?
Black student: Maybe your son didn’t get the job because he wasn’t good enough. Or maybe he’s lazy. Or maybe the other guy was just better than him.
Mr. Neck: Watch your mouth, mister. That’s my son you’re talking about. You know what? That’s enough debate. Everybody take out your book.
[Dave stands up to speak]
Mr. Neck: Mr. Petrakis, please take your seat.
David: If the class is debating then each student has the right to say what’s on his mind.
Mr. Neck: I decide who talks in here, Mr. Petrakis.
David: You opened a debate, you can’t close it just because it’s not going your way.
Mr. Neck: Watch me! Take your seat, Mr. Petrakis!
David: The constitution does not recognize different levels of citizenship based upon the time spent in the country. As a citizen and a student I’m protesting the tone of this lesson as racist, intolerant, and zenophobic.
Mr. Neck: Sit your butt in that chair, Mr Petrakis, and watch your mouth! I try to get this debate going and you people turn it into a “race” thing. Sit down, Mr. Petrakis, or you’re gonna go down to the principal’s office.
[Dave walks out of the room]
Melinda: [voiceover] Dave Petrakis is my new hero.
…
Melinda [voiceover]: Heather has found a clan. The Marthas. Very Connecticut. Very prep. I suspect money changed hands.
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Melinda [voiceover]: And then there’s me. I’m clanless.
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Hairwoman: Every word Hawthorne wrote, every comma, every paragraph break, these were done on purpose. It is our job to try and figure out what he’s really trying to say.
Melinda [voiceover]: Why couldn’t he just say what he meant? Would they pin a scarlet letter on his chest? “S” for straightforward?
…
Loudspeaker: Attention, Merryweather students. The final tally is in. Bees 35. Icebergs 17. Hilltoppers 6. Wombats 84. We will now be the home of the Merryweather Wombats.
Heather: What rhymes with wombats?
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Heather: Once you get through this “life sucks” phase I’m sure lots of people will want to be your friend.
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Melinda [voiceover]: I’ll write about the Suffragettes. Before they came along women were treated like dogs.
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David: The suffragettes fought for their right to speak. They were attacked, arrested and thrown in jail for daring to do what they wanted to do. Like them, Melinda is willing to stand up for what she believes. That no one should be forced to give speeches.
Mr. Neck: What is this?
David: Melinda has to deliver her report to the class as part of the assignment. She made copies everyone can read.
Mr. Neck: Oh, no you don’t. When I say oral I mean oral. Now you sit down! And you Sordino read that report. Open your mouth Sordino. Open your damn mouth!
[Melinda remains silent]
Mr. Neck: I am so sick of your attitude.
[he drags her by the arm to the principal’s office]
Melinda [voiceover]: I forgot the suffragettes were hauled off to jail.
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Melinda: It’s time for a mental health day. So conjugate this: I cut class. You cut class. He/she/it cuts class.
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Melinda: It happened. There’s no avoiding it. No forgetting.
…
Hairwoman: A revolutionary is only as good as his analysis. What does that mean?
[Melinda raises her hand]
Hairwoman: Melinda, better late than never. Why is a revolutionary only as good as his or her analysis?
Melinda: I think you should know what you stand for, not just what you’re against. You should be able to show how things can be better.[/b]