Common Sense Media Review
By JK Sooja
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Vital, tragic, brutal look at rise of youth suicide.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Bullied
What's the Story?
In BULLIED, parents and kids who have suffered from bullying behavior and its too often tragic outcomes tell their stories. Statistics, facts, and data accompany academics, theorists, and researchers in discussing the causes, current inflammations, and effects of bullying behavior and bullying culture.
Is It Any Good?
This documentary is absolutely heartbreaking, brutal, and tragic but also very necessary and every parent, caregiver, teen, teacher, and educator should try to get through it, period. Bullied is at once stunning, shocking, depressing, anxiety-generating, and infuriating. Expect lots of terribly sad stories of innocent kids and teens suffering from horrible bullying behavior that often includes incredible violence. Thankfully, this what-should-be-public-service-announcement is just about palatable enough at a smidge over an hour runtime. The degree of pathos (effective argumentation through emotion and stories) is incredibly high. While not exactly enjoyable, the documentary is packed with so much data, statistics, and helpful information that they become welcome pauses between painful human story after painful human story.
Some viewers will disagree with the film's position that former U.S. President Donald Trump greatly encouraged today's "bullying culture," but the film makes a strong case by using clips of Trump. Either way, it would have simply been too depressing an experience if Bullied did not end on a positive, hopeful note. Highlighting the Cleveland, Ohio school district and how they initiated "Social Emotional Learning" programs over a decade ago, the film provides an example of success, positive outcomes, and a potential future where kids and teens don't have to suffer.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about bullying behavior and bullying culture. Does Bullied do a good job of presenting the problems, causes, and effects of bullying behavior? What else could the film have done to better establish the stakes of successfully combating bullying behavior and culture?
Discuss child and teen suicide and the ways this documentary presents them. How does the film encourage better understanding, support, and resources for those at risk? What could the film have done more of? What about less of?
Do you think the film was successful in discussing concepts like "bullying culture" and "minority stress"? How so?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : February 12, 2021
- Cast : Ron Avi Astor , Jennifer Davis , Kimya Dennis
- Director : Thomas Keith
- Studio : Global Digital Releasing
- Genre : Documentary
- Topics : Activism
- Character Strengths : Compassion , Empathy , Integrity
- Run time : 67 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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