UNLIKELY SUSPECTS
US, 1996, 90 minutes, Colour.
Shannah Reed, Sarah Chalke.
Directed by Joseph L. Scanlan.
Unlikely Suspects is a telemovie designed for the home audience, but treating a social problem which has emerged much more in the '90s: sexual harassment, especially within high schools.
Shannah Reed portrays the mother of a cheerleader who takes the side of a girl in the squad who is harassed by the team. The star footballers take a stand against her and harass and molest her. Issues for family, for the principal of the school, for the coach of the team, for the morale of the students are all explored.
The film is quite persuasive in its look at the issues, showing the presumptuous menace of the football players, the disruption in families, the pressure, especially for students without money and difficult prospects for going to college. However, the film takes the point of view of perseverance with the case, of self-respect and the ending is triumphant and makes the point that there is a great deal of this kind of behaviour in schools which needs to be confronted.
1. Interesting telemovie? Social and family and education issues? Dramatised for the home audience?
2. The American town, the high school, the courts? Authentic atmosphere?
3. The title and the focus on the football players? Their behaviour, their victims?
4. The high school situation, co-eds, the football team and the possibility of winning the trophy, the cheerleaders and their style, morale within the various groups? The interests of the principal? The new coach and his handling of things? The behaviour of the students in the school, peer pressure? Audiences identifying with this?
5. Christa and her support of Ruth after the behaviour in the bus? Her friendship with Ruth? Giving the list to the coach after consulting with the cheerleaders? His rejection of it, wanting to handle it his own way, trying to bribe her with putting her brother on the team? Josh and Nelson and their confronting Christa in the locker room? Her moodiness, discussions with her mother? The decision to go to the principal, the principal listening, the principal under pressure and taking stands? The father and his initial wariness, his support? Kyle and his wanting to be on the team, looking down on his sister, playing up to Josh and the others? Christa and her being spurned by Vanessa? Ruth and her friendship but unwillingness to testify, going to the dance and the drink thrown over her, yet her contrary testimony in the hearing? Christa and difficulties at the shop, her mother losing her job? The pressure by Josh's father? Her trying to talk with the cheerleaders, her decision to persevere with the case? Her being dismissed after Ruth lying? Her talking to the cheerleaders, their changing their minds, going to the courts, the four weeks of testimony? The evidence with the book and the lawyer and her help? The role of the media? The final hearings, the decision? Christa and her integrity?
6. Ruth, not being liked, not having money? Best friend of Christa? Her being harassed, her fears, her mother and her unwillingness to testify? Their coming to the hearing and lying? The drink thrown over the dress and Christa's support? Vanessa and her relationship with Josh, her antagonism, her change of mind after the evidence? Support? The cheerleaders and their being banned, surrounded by the footballers to get off the field? Their accepting the money, changing their mind after listening to Christa, their testimony?
7. Josh and Nelson, their skills at football, presumption, the accepted behaviour of the team, harassing in the bus? Nelson and Josh and their standover tactics, using Kyle? Despising Randy and his support of the girls? The book, the talk? The continual menace? Confronting Anne? Their final comeuppance?
8. The principal, her wanting the school to succeed, trying her best, the pressures, succumbing, Anne telling her the truth about her behaviour? The coach and his wanting to handle things privately? His support of the boys? His not being vindicated?
9. Anne and Ted, Anne and her role in the school, strong woman? Support of her daughter, Ted hesitating but following through? The pressure from Josh's father and Ted's rejection? Phone calls, the smashing of the restaurant windows? Their standing by and speaking strongly? Kyle and his jealousy of Christa, comparisons, taking Josh's side, seeing the book, being abused, changing his mind, supportive? Randy and his friendship and support?
10. Contemporary issues and problems, dramatised for the home audience - how effectively, for information, moral support, encouragement for young women to make a stand?
