"Everybody's dream girl. One girl's nightmare." Could this caption scream stereotypical-high-school-drama any louder? I begged my sister to select another film. Netflix had to have something else to watch. Anything but "A Girl Like Her".
Suddenly, I witness a young woman try to kill herself on my television screen. I was not prepared. In fact, I was shocked. One may have hit exit or chosen something else to see. But I could not. Something was telling me I had to continue to view this movie.
A crew is a filming a documentary about what really goes on in high school. Coincidentally, they arrived just after one of the students had attempted suicide. In the hospital, Jessica was unable to tell her own story. So it is understandable another person would have to be chosen as a lens to see the school through. But to my disgust, the student rumored to have tormented her is chosen.
However, it just so happened that for the past six months Jessica had worn a pin on her chest. Not just any pin — a pin with a hidden camera. As People put it, "'A Girl Like Her'utilizes the same found footage style of filmmaking made famous by movies like 'The Blair Witch Project' and 'Paranornal Activity' – proving that being stuck in high school with a mean girl can be its own kind of horror story."
And they could not have been more accurate. The footage is haunting. It is unbelievable. I literally cheered once the rest of the world realized what a nightmare Avery Keller was. But Time stated, "Viewers may leave the film more concerned about therapy for bullies than for the bullied." Despite how hard I tried to remember Avery is the perpetrator, not the victim, I could not help but sympathize with her. So I also agree with them.
"A Girl Like Her": Who is the title referring to? Is it Jessica? Is it Avery? The answer is neither. It is all of us. The movie may be fiction, but it is a true story. And no, you cannot google and find the event the film portrayed. Because there is not one, there is a million.
Witnessing bullying, as one student explains in the movie, is “as if we were all zebras and we were watching one of our fellow zebras being eaten by a lion.” A Girl Like Her provides a potent remember that, bully or victim, they’re all zebras.
As a journalist, I have the responsibility to make sure my audience receives accurate and quality coverage. If I imply that bullying is a direct cause of suicide, then I am a part of the issue. But as a person, I cannot lie about my feelings on the topic.
That is why I am bringing this movie to your attention. I sometimes find the world I live in looks a lot different than the statistics given. "A Girl Like Her" represents both my reality and the research, which is why I wrote this piece and strongly recommend you see the film for yourself.
If you feel you are in a crisis, whether or not you are thinking about killing yourself, please call the Lifeline.
