MovieChat Forums > Harold and the Purple Crayon (2024) Discussion > Really, we're still resorting to generic...

Really, we're still resorting to generic bullies? What year is this, 2004?

posted a month ago by CodyXBrenda (275)
13 replies | jump to latest

Love how these talentless writers are still relying on stupid clichés that died off back in the mid 2010s, such as generic bullies. I thought we were past this shit? Yes, I understand bullying will never go away. That's like saying war will eventually become a thing of the past. Still, the cliché bullying in this film feels like it belongs in a 2000s kids movie like Sharkboy & Lavagirl or Bridge To Terabithia, not a 2020s kids film where our society has changed in the past 20 years. I mean it wasn't cool when Shazaam and The Adam Project used this crap, so why even bother?

This whole "Oh look at this loser, he likes stupid weird shit! Let's pick on him!" shit is so fucking cliché and outdated. Bullies don't even do that, anymore. It's more like calling others names and telling them how much they suck at Fortnite or Roblox. This old outdated bullying hasn't been a thing since around 2012. The writers need to get with the damn times! This is why Hollywood is dying because they don't want to adapt to the 21st century and keep pretending it's still the 1990s!

[–] ewd76 (756) a month ago

Did someone steal your lunch money when you were a youngster?

[–] CodyXBrenda (275) a month ago

Do I have to block you? Because I'm so sick and tired of MovieChat being filled with incels like yourself? Did your fucking parents hate you?

I mean really, that's your weak ass attempt at a comeback? God, you're pathetic if you can't even come up with a better insult than that!

[–] MyPhoneAccount (158) 21 days ago

lol that’s what you took away from the post? Imma bully you bro bend over

[–] CodyXBrenda (275) 21 days ago

Wow, you're pathetic! You aren't even trying to be funny! Your "Gen Z" humor falls flat!

[–] MyPhoneAccount (158) 21 days ago

I was trying to defend you and this is how you betray me? I hope 90’s bullies give you some swirlies. In hindsight, I actually think this film has genius screenwriting and I just raised my score to a 10/10 just to spite you. Cody, or Brenda, it’s time to bend over.

[–] CodyXBrenda (275) 21 days ago

Were you trying to defend me? I wasn't born yesterday! It sounds like you might have mental issues or a split personality disorder. You're probably the one who got bullied in school if your attitude is this bad! Now tell me something; were you beat up a lot, in school? I feel bad for you, if you were! Nobody should go through that torture porn shit, especially boys! But seriously dude, you need to get laid and not worry about the schoolyard bullies who picked on you in the 5th grade. They're all probably dead! They either killed themselves or were shot in the head by drug dealers! No kid or kids who take sadistic pleasure in beating up others weaker than themselves ever amounted to shit, later in life! There's no such thing!

[–] MyPhoneAccount (158) 21 days ago

Sounds like you’re the one with issues. You want children to commit suicide??? Huh???? You are twisted! If you had eyes you’d see I was responding to ewd76’s comment and not you. But I have a really high IQ and I say Harold Purple Crayon is the greatest film of the decade, per chance maybe the best film of all time, and the thing that makes it better than The Godfather is the use of bullies. The use of bullies is clever and nuanced. Thank you for opening my eyes.

[–] CodyXBrenda (275) 21 days ago

Okay dude, I'm done talking to a psychotic nutcase like you! You're not being civil at all! You're just being a spastic hyperbolic basketcase and I'm done talking! Good luck with your pathetic life and get laid! The "ignore" button is getting pushed in 3...2...1!

[–] e3e34ifj (1832) 20 days ago

unfortunately, it appears i have to agree with 'myphoneaccount' on this one. They were defending your opinion and you appeared to lash out towards them for no reason. then you start rambling about how middle schoolers commit suicide. I'm not sure what you're getting at. perhaps you are trolling? if not, I think you should apologize.

[–] HarlemEagle42 (17215) a month ago

"...? Yes, I understand bullying will never go away."

Call me crazy, but maybe that's why they still appear in movies.

[–] CodyXBrenda (275) a month ago

Hollywood has no idea that it's 2024 and still uses cardboard cutout "generic bullies", instead of somewhat fleshed out ones. Not saying bullies should be morally complex characters, but they need to stop relying on outdated clichés from the 90s and 2000s. I will say this, at least the bully in Sharkboy & Lavagirl was kinda funny and not just an annoying stereotype who exists for no reason, but to be an asshole.

I've seen some movies where the bully is written at first to be as "generic" as possible, but actually gets character development. A good example would be Jack Frost (the Michael Keaton one). The bully in that film was an annyoing prick who just wanted to torment the son every chance he got, however once his dad comes back from the dead as a snowman and gives his tormentors their "just desserts", it felt like the plot did something with these bullies that wasn't a waste of time. Also, the bully shows a human side to him when the son tells him that the talking snowman is his dad who died the previous year and came back as a snowman. That's a better example of a bully in a kids movie. Too bad that never happens much. Instead, let's resort to the most "lazy ass way" possible when it comes to writing bullies, ugh!

[–] MyPhoneAccount (158) 21 days ago

Nah I agree. These “hey, look at this dork! Gimme your lunch money, hur hur” bullies were unintentionally hilarious. You mention the time period feeling early 2000’s and honestly I bet this script was probably written in 2001. Pretty sure not a single ounce of effort was poured into the script. Definitely one of the worst movies of the year.

[–] CodyXBrenda (275) 21 days ago

The "generic bully" trope honestly needs to die. We have cartoons like The Owl House and the writers know how to write a bully. Amity Blight starts out as another typical mean girl "alpha bitch", but becomes an actual fleshed out character and has a "bisexual" relationship with the main character, Luz. Hell, even Phineas and Ferb makes you think that Buford is going to be another typical "barbaric bully" (like Francis from The Fairly Oddparents) and then subverts your expectations and makes him a fleshed out character who only sorta bullies the Indian kid but actually genuinely cares about him.