Finding Kind

FINDING KIND is a difficult watch, and yet overwhelmingly positive and hopeful. It can't answer all the questions about why girls torment each other and precisely what role the culture at large plays, but its focus on the universality of the experience and the astonishingly predictable toll it takes on young women's self-esteem allows a larger message to resonate: No matter the complexity of cause here, awareness, prevention, and accountability are likely the best antidote.

That message of kindness is echoed again and again in often disturbing stories from tearful young girls and women reflecting on their worst bullying, each a testament to the way bullying's effects can linger for years and even decades. The upside is that sometimes a simple apology from a former tormenter goes a long way, as does learning that almost every woman has experienced both sides of the issue at some point. The film's mature content references some sexuality, suicide, depression, isolation, and enduring emotional stress. But in the end, it demonstrates how women can bond over their shared pain and think twice before perpetuating it.