DVD Zeitgeist: Gay Teens and the Bullies Who Love Them

You can't scan through the news these days without hearing about another tragic teen suicide and the relentless bullying that prompted it. But sadly, this is anything but a new phenomenon -- statistically, queer teenagers have always been more likely to end their lives than their hetero counterparts, and fulminating evangelists blather on about the horrors of the "lifestyle choice," remaining blithely ignorant of the fact that their bigoted sermonizing is very much part of the problem. Some interesting films have presented anti-gay bullies, and -- true to what we know about the most vocal homophobes -- it's the bullies, and not necessarily their victims, who have the issues.

Bully (2001)

This disturbing teen drama is based on a true story about hectored adolescents who teamed up to murder their oppressor, but it's a Larry Clark (Kids, Ken Park) movie, so naturally it's less ripped-from-the-headlines and more a disturbing peek inside the mind of Larry Clark. In any event, cast-against-type Nick Stahl stars as Bobby, a roided-up badass who makes everyone in his Florida circle of frenemies utterly miserable. Suffering the most under Bobby's reign of terror is Marty (Brad Renfro), since it's clear that Bobby has majorly unresolved sexual feelings for him. Bobby makes Marty shake his money-maker at a gay club and films a solo-porn scene with Marty and a sex toy, yet it's Bobby who constantly insults Marty's manhood. And once again, tragedy could have been averted if they had could have just made out.

Friends Forever (1987)

Kristian (Claus Bender Mortensen) is the shy and dorky new kid in school in this Danish import. He first befriends New Age-y male model Henrik (Thomas Elholm), who is constantly gay-baited by Patrick (Thomas Sigsgaard) and the band of high-school thugs he leads. Kristian winds up becoming BFFs with Patrick but surprise -- SPOILER -- Kristian and Henrik wind up being straight while Patrick takes up with a hunky male soccer player. Kristian eventually defends Patrick's right to be out-and-proud in their somewhat oppressive school, and it all leads up to... a nutty musical number that isn't subtitled in English, so I have no idea what it all means. Still, this is one of the smarter and sweeter gay teen movies out there, as is...

Get Real (1998)

Artsy outsider Steven (Ben Silverstone) has furtive sex in the public toilets near his school, never realizing that he would wind up hooking up with a classmate, and certainly not handsome athlete John Dixon (Brad Gorton). But while this unlikely couple makes a go at a relationship as secretively as possible, Steven gets tired of all the DL-itude. Will John lash out at Steven in front of his fellow jocks to keep his secret safe? Will Steven realize that life is too short to date a closet case? Suffice it to say that for our budding gay hero, to borrow a phrase that Dan Savage has popularized in the current campaign to save the lives of troubled queer teens, "It gets better."