gregking4 Review of Valentine Road

Valentine Road (2013)

a powerful documentary that raises some disturbing questions

[8/10 · 22 July 2013]

Last year we had the powerful documentary Bully from Lee Hirsch, which looked at the insidious issue of bullying in American high schools and its impact. While it took a broad perspective on the complex issue, this new documentary from first time filmmaker Marta Cunningham takes a narrower focus, but is just as disturbing and revealing. In 2008 in the small Californian coastal town of Oxnard, 14-year old student Brandon McInerney shot and killed a fellow student Larry King. The effeminate King had been experimenting with his sexuality and was often teased by his fellow students. But when he made a Valentine's joke at McInerney's expense, the boy brought a gun to school and shot him. McInerney is serving a 21 year sentence for the crime, but the film depicts him as much of victim of society as he is a killer by exploring his background and his dysfunctional upbringing. Valentine Road is a character study of the two boys - the killer and his victim - and it explores their backgrounds and gives us insight into their troubled lives, finding some surprising common ground. The film also touches upon some serious issues, such as the flawed American legal system, its out of control gun culture, bigotry and intolerance, racism, its unforgiving attitude towards homosexuality, and even dysfunctional families. Cunningham has gone into a community still divided and bearing the scars of the horrible events for this moving account of a an American tragedy. She tries to remain balanced and non-judgmental in her approach, but it is obvious where her sympathies lie. She is compassionate and understanding, and has gained the trust of the community who open up about the tragedy. There is plenty of archival footage and news reports, as well as candid interviews with family, friends, teachers, lawyers and the police themselves which are very revealing. This is a complex issue and a powerful documentary that raises some disturbing questions.