DAY FOUR - THE DIRTIES (horror movie challenge - 31 days of horror)

So full disclosure – I am fully aware The Dirties is not a “horror film” per say. BUT school shootings are pretty fucking horrific and this movie is great and it’s my challenge so suuuuuck it.

DAY FOUR - THE DIRTIES (2013)

I first heard about this film 2 years’ ago on Smodcast. Kevin Smith was talking with the star and director, Matt Johnson and the plot of the film peaked my interest. Also, if Kevin Smith told me to eat dirt – I’d probably do it, so him telling me to watch this movie was a no-brainer. So Kevin Smith helped release this film by presenting it through the Kevin Smith Movie Club, and he called it one of “the most important films of the year.”

The movie was a festival darling and won multiple awards. Although it is primarily a “school shooting” type movie, it features bullying prominently and is really more about the cause than the effect. Matthew Johnson, writer, director and star said “My goal is for when people go to see this film is that they walk away surprised at how they view the main characters….I want people to look at these kids in a different way and not just as the monsters they turn into after they commit these violent acts.”

The Dirties is the story of two bullied and eccentric kids at a high school who are working on a film project called The Dirties. The Dirties they refer to are the bullies at their school, and in their film project they kill them all. When they show this to their class, the bullying intensifies so they decide to shoot the kids for real, making it more realistic.

The two guys are Matt and Owen. Matt is easy to love, anyone who’s a film buff sees themselves in him. He’s constantly quoting his favorite films and extremely excitable. He starts to struggle to see the difference between reality and story. Owen comes off more as his sidekick. He agrees to everything Matt says and gets himself into some silly situations because of it. But Matt doesn’t take Owen for granted, in fact Matt helps Owen get the girl of his dreams. He takes charge and gets the girls number and helps Owen woo her. He’s a great friend and super supportive.

Owen, once he is accepted by this girl Krissy, who is one of The Dirties, starts to pull away from Matt. And once he realizes Matt is serious about shooting up the school, he pulls away even further.

The film plays on how easy it can be for kids to pull off a school shooting, and how even with all this extra attention school shootings get, they’re still happening. I mean, even last Thursday there was a new one in Oregon. Matt easily gets access to the school’s blueprints, he makes a film where he kills students, and he even tells two different kids he’s planning a school shooting. Hell, even Owen knows its happening. But still, no one does anything.

gif credit

What I’m constantly impressed by in this film is the two main guys. This film was virtually unscripted and the two just played off of each other which is incredibly impressive. It reminds me very much of Elephant and Zero Day.  

The film’s message may be a little fuzzy…is it bullying? Is it school shooting? What’s the ultimate message we should take from it? But regardless, it’s an enjoyable film that hits you in the heart and anyone who’s been bullied can relate. When Matt says, “…that’s the first time I was bullied just for being myself, ya know?” your heart goes out to him, because you can remember that day it happened to you.

I could talk about this movie for hours, but I am not Kevin Smith, so I’ll wrap it up. The Dirties, though not a horror film, will still scare you. It’s a fine piece of art made by a first time movie maker, and deserves all the credit. I look forward to what Matt will bring to the cinema world in the future. I give the Dirties a 10/10.

SOFIA'S REVIEW:

Well hello there! Quick intro, my name is Sofia, and I am a 16-year-old budding horror enthusiast. My lovely friend Charlotte asked me to join her on her 31 day challenge, and I undoubtedly agreed, despite the fact that I am a total wimp. Since I am an aspiring writer, you could imagine my excitement when she asked me to co-write on her blog for this wonderful spooky month. You can find me on my personal blog, www.memoirsofanerdgirl.wordpress.com , and join me on my adventure of my life! Now, onto the review!

Where do I begin with this one?
First, it hit me really hard. With the school shootings that have happened in the past couple years, this movie is more relevant than ever.
It shows escalation of bullying and how it can push someone over the edge and change their personality so much.

The movie starts out with two best friends, Matt and Owen, shooting a movie entitled "the Dirties" for a school project. In the movie, they kill a 'gang', the dirties. The pair are severely bullied throughout the film, including have a rock thrown at Owen's head. The real dirties are the bullies that the two boys have to deal with throughout the entire movie.

After consistently being harassed, Matt says that the movie would've been better if he had actually killed the dirties. Owen goes along with him, but quickly realize Matt is on a different track and actually is considering murdering their harassers.

Later, the two get into a fight and Owen leaves because he states that Matt is always acting, always talking about a good scene and is never just himself anymore. Matt, furious, continues with his plan. He ends up setting cameras in the hallway of his school and shooting two of his bullies, Josh and Jackerman. He sees Owen running away and chases him, finally cornering him in a classroom and saying, "What are you doing? It's me!"

This movie really is a slow build. You're wondering the entire time if Matt is really joking around, or is he serious. You can never quite tell, as it puts you in Owen's place of hovering in the line of going along with Matt or being scared. Not a horror movie in a typical sense, but scares you in a real life way.

Thinking about this movie after, I really imagined what it would be like to encounter a school shooting, to see my friends lose their lives at the hands of someone insane. And it was terrifying.
8/10, a good thought provoker.

See you guys tomorrow for Day five!
Stay Spooky!