Are you serious? This movie is not realistic AT ALL.
And I'm in high school.
This movie is garbarge and the farthest thing from reality.
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i think people are just saying this is unrealistic because they've never experienced it
it may not happen to you, and you may have not heard about it, but it does happen
all the elements of this film has happened and in my particular region have happened to similar extremes
people underestimate how extreme these situations can get because they are so well hidden, and people are horribly afraid to talk about it and get it out in the open
i think this movie is really honest and such an eye opener, it should be shown more especially around the nation
Stacey was very realistic, lots of people can be like that,she's probably Bi-Polar or something. While Nikkie is likely a Sociopath.
"It's not about Money
It's about sending a message
Everything Burns"
I am fortunate to be able to say that this extent of bullying did not take place at my high school, but then again, it was a small private school with only about 200 students. I ran into some snotty girls, but nothing near what the main character in this film experienced.
It's one thing to admit that your school was different, but it's another thing completely to pass it off as unrealistic. Every single generation has bad bullies, and in today's society, it's more intense and problematic than it ever was before. Technologies like MySpace, YouTube, Facebook, and instant messaging provide a certain "facelessness" for kids, and they can do whatever they want without worrying about it. Sometimes they are caught in the act, but it's incredibly difficult to point fingers when you don't have solid, in-person proof. Technology has helped high school and junior high kids become smarter, sneakier, and more subtle about their bullying, and as sick as it is, it's exactly what's happening.
And you can't say that kids like Stacey and Nikki (in the movie) would have been dealt with from the very beginning if it happened in real life. Not necessarily. In reality, kids have a very hard time with malicious classmates who do all their bullying behind the backs of their teachers, parents, and school administration. It's not as if a girl is going to start trash-talking the target and call her names when a teacher is standing right there--and it's not as if the victim is going to go run and tell a grown-up, ESPECIALLY when it's a high school environment. What kid is gonna want to make things worse for herself by getting the "tattletale" reputation? And how much can a teacher do if she didn't see it happen, and it's one kid's word against another? It can get very messy, believe me.
I do agree that the "I Hate Vanessa" website in the movie was awful, and Vanessa could have avoided a heck of a lot of trouble if she brought that to her mother and principal's attention immediately. Still, you have to remember that not every teenager is able to do that, for various reasons. Some kids don't have steady home lives, and some are terrified that tattling will make their situation even worse with the bullies. Vanessa had a very loving mother at home, but her mom was also in denial about the bullies and tried to brush it all away because she wanted her daughter to be popular. Don't think for a minute that this didn't affect Vanessa's relationship with her mother. Things like that can have a profound impact on kids and make them feel like they can't confide in their parents or other adults in their lives. So many factors are involved in these things, and you can never assume that each person will respond the same way.
There are some schools that are really good about downplaying the bullying that goes on, and there are other places where the adults don't even attempt to do anything about it until somebody commits suicide or gets seriously hurt. There are kids who are able to realize that people are being mean and distance themselves from them, and there are others (like Vanessa) who are so insecure, they allow themselves to fall prey. It all depends on who you are, where you are, and what things are like in your situation. I never saw it take form the way it did in this film, but you know what? I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that at least one person has...and probably even worse. SOMEBODY in this world was able to watch this movie and honestly say that they went through the exact same thing in school. They're the ones whose stories can make a difference and help prevent this emotional abuse among high school girls. It's never going to go away if people keep assuming that it's all just unrealistic ans blown out of proportion. With a mindset like that, of course the bad behavior is going to continue. People need to realize that this is serious stuff, and there are real students going through these same things right now. The first step is understanding that it's not all just a joke or a plea for attention. In so many cases, it's the real deal, and it needs to be handled accordingly.