Speak teen drama but good

[peggyfromwastate]

This movie is called *Speak*. It stars the same girl who's in the Twilight movies-- but she's younger here. I think her name is Kristin Stewart? Something like that...

Anyway, in the movie I think she's enterring Freshman year or maybe Sophomore year-- it's the start of high school anyway. This movie is a good drama- compelling story with good acting. It is not too long. I watched it with DD-14. She enjoyed it too-- it's a tough subject, but I would definitely recommend it for parents of teens probably 14 and older as a good conversation-starter. I would also recommend this movie for people who don't even have kids!

Now... Spoiler alert. For parents who are considering watching this with your teen, and you want more information to see if it's appropriate...






*spoiler*












This movie deals with the issue of rape primarily. The protagonist (the Twilight actress) is at a party. It appears to be summer break between junior and high school. There is drinking at the party, no drugs that I notices, but it looks like a typical high school party-no parents, etc. The protagonist is probably a little tipsy, but mostly she starts dancing with an older guy, a hot high school student, and they end up making out and then he takes her to *show her something* which ends up being his jeep where he proceeds to rape her. The rape unfolds throughout the movie in a series of flashbacks. The protagonist loses all her friends and social connections as a result of this event-- disoriented she goes into the house and calls the police. She was planning to report the rape, but she didn't say anything on the phone. Police came to the party and arrested all sorts of people for underage drinking. THe girl walked home, beaten up, obviously broken. She never got help. When she went back to school, she was tormented for being a *squealer* because so many of the kids got into big trouble, and they knew she'd called the cops.

Ultimately, she works through the very difficult year with the help of *art therapy* and comes to the conclusion that she needs to tell others what happened. Once she spoke out about the rape, she was able to get help, and the perp was eventually put in his place.

It is a very moving, realistic, and honest film. I would suggest it especially for parents like me who like to de-glamorize the high school party scene as much as possible!!

DD got a lot out of the film, too. If I had to describe it in one word, I would say *haunting*...

[Sheherezade]

I just heard about this story as a book. Apparently, it is assigned reading in freshman year here. Several of the mothers I was with thought that was horrible and so inappropriate. I think they all have such young kids (under 10) they don't get it. At 13 and 14, this kind of topic is approachable -- and maybe even necessary. I have a 13 year old going in to high school next year and I think he could handle this story. I'm glad to hear another mother approve the topic for young teens. (Honestly, I felt like such a bad mom after these women tore me apart for condoning exposing kids to this kind of "garbage". )

I'm looking forward to seeing the movie--- but wondering if they will keep the reading assignment now that kids can just rent it instead.

[peggyfromwastate]

It's fascinating the subjects that you discuss with a young teen-- the difference between 10 and 13 is huge!!! We'd all like to keep our kids innocent forever, but... time marches on...

BTW I should mention that there's no nudity, nothing graphic.

[Pollyanna]

I just heard about this story as a book. Apparently, it is assigned reading in freshman year here. Several of the mothers I was with thought that was horrible and so inappropriate. I think they all have such young kids (under 10) they don't get it. At 13 and 14, this kind of topic is approachable -- and maybe even necessary. I have a 13 year old going in to high school next year and I think he could handle this story. I'm glad to hear another mother approve the topic for young teens. (Honestly, I felt like such a bad mom after these women tore me apart for condoning exposing kids to this kind of "garbage". )

I have a feeling (or a hope) that these mothers will change there tune once they have children in middle school/high school. Although I have also had people tell me that it is child abuse explaining the birds and bees to an 8 year old.

Sounds like a good movie, I will keep an eye out for it. Thanks for the suggestion Peggy.

[GreyhoundsRUs]

Our freshmen girls read it. I haven't heard of any complaints - but I think almost everyone of them knows someone firsthand who has been raped - so it's very poignant.

[scrub-jay]

Rape as a topic to be read about and discussed in school? No thanks. I'm happy to talk openly with Amanda and would probably watchbthe movie with her and talk aboutbit with her, but I think we are throwing too much at our kids too fast.

I'm a bad mom. My kid would sit this one out.

Honestly, I don't think this makes you a bad mom at all. IMHO, the message I am taking home from this is that communication is important. Teens face these issues everyday, and I think that it is important for girls to feel comfortable asking for help or advice, etc. You are saying that you are more than willing to talk to your daughter. My worry is for the kids whose parents are (often inadvertently) teaching them that they should be ashamed if they are attacked, etc. I'll shut up now, since I have more than a decade before I have to think about this with my unborn daughter.

[poky]

Schools need to stuck to the basics and leave the rest to parents.

The problem with this is all the parents that won't do "the rest". It's great that you're willing and able to, but as the daughter of teachers, trust me, there are a lot of them out there who aren't, and don't.

[L.Jane]

Honestly, I don't think this makes you a bad mom at all. IMHO, the message I am taking home from this is that communication is important. Teens face these issues everyday, and I think that it is important for girls to feel comfortable asking for help or advice, etc. You are saying that you are more than willing to talk to your daughter. My worry is for the kids whose parents are (often inadvertently) teaching them that they should be ashamed if they are attacked, etc. I'll shut up now, since I have more than a decade before I have to think about this with my unborn daughter.

Not to turn this into a debate, but I agree with this. I wish all parents were like the women of this board who would sit down with their daughters and talk to them openly about all these issues, but unfortunately all parents aren't. There are many girls out there who, the only way they are going to get any information, is either through their friends (which a lot of that information is BAD) or the school. I do think however, a permission slip should be sent home before it is discussed in the class allowing parents the right to decide if they want their child to learn it in school or home. I also think schools should offer classes for the parents on how to talk to their child. To go on a tangent I think parents should have to take parenting classes period to have a kid, but that's a whole other topic. sorry. Rant over. End Hijack.

[poky]

Why 9th grade? Why not 12th grade when these kids have the actual emotional maturity to deal with topics of this magnitude.

Because things of this magnitude do happen to kids before that? Should the unlucky ones be completely unaware and unprepared to cope?

[peggyfromwastate]

So.... The movie itself is good. It opens up an avenue of discussion that I think is worth exploring between a parent and a teen. I wouldn't like this movie in a classroom setting.

Kate said her friend read the book and said it was "reaaly boring"...

One of the high schools here is doing a play adaptation of this story. I guess it's catching on! Coming to a school near you...

If a school felt the need to show this in class, I would recommend boys and girls separate, and not until the kids were past 15 or so. And with parental consent.

I was just thankful for the presentation of everything in this movie which made it reaaly powerful and accessible to me and Kate. I could relate to the obliviousness of the parents, the cruelty of the kids... I just thought it was well done.

[Thirteen]

There's a similar uproar in a nearby district, that issued Antigone as over-the-summer reading for Freshman English, and another that is trying to push for The Lovely Bones at the Junior English level.

This wouldn't have flown in my rural town/high school, but out here, in L.A. ... it's very different. The partying starts younger. I'm not sure if The Lovely Bones stayed on the list or not, though -- the parent reply was pretty scathing.