GIRLS AGAINST BOYS

THE MOVIE:  Girls Against Boys (2012)

CAST: Main Characters (only)

Daniel Panabaker as SHAE

Nicole LaLiberte as LU

Liam Aiken as TYLER

Michael Stah-David as SIMON

Andrew Howard as TERRY

Director&Writer: AUSTIN CHICK

MY SUMMARY:

      This indie-flick movie really did not hit the mark with me. Although, it had some glimmers of hope, I feel it missed the point. Basically, the movie is trying so hard to tell us that it is feministic to be vengeful and KILL, KILL, KILL.  The main character Shae is a naive young woman in college. In the beginning of the movie, she's taking a feminist theory course, and working as a bartender. We find out that she'd rather date a 35 year old man that is married than pursue realistic relationships. When the relationship fails, because the man, Terry, wants to work on his marriage, this crushes the young Shae. Did she really think they'd be running into the sunset? He's married and has a child. There's no hope in that relationship. Nonetheless, she's crushed and breaks down at her bartending job.
     This is where she meets Lu while in a crisis. The mysterious dark-haired woman seems to have taken a liking to Shae. They end up having a night out where they meet three young men. The distraught Shae ends up kissing and flirting with Simon- a young man. When the night ends he escorts her back to her place in hopes of sex. Shae insist she has a boyfriend and blows him off and his advances. He ends up attacking and raping her. When she tries reporting it and reaching out to her family and her ex-lover Terry she ends up feeling empty. No one is giving her the support she needs. This is where the new friend Lu comes into play. She inserts herself into Shaes life and helps her take care of her problem.

     They then go on a killing spree, basically killing whomever they please.  Lu takes great pleasure in killing and there's good reason to believe she's unstoppable. A classic sociopath with no feelings or regrets. She laughs at the idea of murder and ends up taking the revenge too far. This is what causes her demise and eventual death. The end of this movie I believe should of ended with Lu, but no, it goes on to make us wonder if Shae is the new "Lu".


WHAT I ENJOYED ABOUT THIS FILM:

     As somber as this may sound I enjoyed some of devious character that is Lu. She is very strange, and somehow entertaining. Her creepy big-eyes, and that smile, and laugh, just kind of makes you sick. She was lanky and somehow beautifully creepy. It worked for a lot of the darker scenes, and I thought she stole the spot-light for most of the movie.

WHAT WENT WRONG:

     I disliked most of the other character including Shae. Now, I remember the actress that played Shae in lifetime movies, and in a Jason re-make movie, so perhaps, I was biased. I just didn't feel it. I couldn't get comfortable with her holding or carrying or a gun or inserting herself into anything violent. Also, Terry the married ex-lover of Shae was an unattractive version of Jason Statham and a very annoying character. I just didn't want to watch him. He wasn't fun, good-looking, exciting, or had anything to hold my attention. I just kept thinking- he's really not that great. The other things I really didn't like about this movie was their use of violence and feminism. It doesn't make you a feminist to hold a gun- or to insert yourself into violent situations. They played this up, and it didn't work. I didn't buy it.

RATING:

I give this movie a 2.5, because I didn't hate it, but I really didn't love it. I felt it could of done better in giving us a back story and delivering more believable characters and situations.