A quasi-documentary approach is combined here with the found-footage formula to deliver a stern (often hectoring) warning against bullying in Amy S. Weber's sincere but heavy-handed tale about a high-school girl goaded into attempting suicide by a classmate who was once her friend. Most of A Girl Like Her is a faux documentary being made by Amy Gallagher (Weber, who generally confines herself to off-screen questions) about a highly regarded public high school. During filming, Amy learns that one of the students, Jessica (Lexi Ainsworth), has attempted suicide, and she changes the focus of her film to find out why, discovering that Jessica was harassed by her former friend Avery (Hunter King), a stereotypical mean girl who used direct intimidation and social network attacks to humiliate and threaten Jessica. The extent of the emotional assault is made clear through Avery's spycam footage, and eventually Amy confronts Avery as Jessica's parents hold vigil in her hospital room. The film tries to get beyond a simple black-and-white depiction of the all-too-familiar terrain of kids hurting kids by investigating the reasons for Avery's actions, which center on her overbearing mother. Earnest and well-intentioned, the film is also unfortunately rather preachy and stylistically clumsy, although the subject matter is important. A strong optional purchase. (F. Swietek)
A Girl Like Her
Cinedigm, 91 min., PG-13, DVD: $19.95, Jan. 19 Volume 31, Issue 2
A Girl Like Her
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