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Wednesday, March 24, 2004Robert Oliver, age 7, is a problem child. He has killed several cats and dogs, his grandmother says, and has attempted suicide. As a result he is on Ritalin for attention-deficit disorder and BuSpar for depression. Rory Kennedy and her cinematographer, Nick Doob, have come to Eupora, Miss., a tiny town with a median household income under $25,000 a year, to follow Robert's progress. Their intention is to make a film about how social services programs affect the lives of American children living in poverty. But the resulting gripping documentary, "A Boy's Life," on HBO tonight, turns out to be about a wicked witch. ...."A Boy's Life" first visits Robert at home, where he pounds on the floor and bangs his head against the wall. When someone mentions that his little dog is adorable, he replies, "But sometimes he can be a little devil and bite you with his sharp teeth." Robert does seem hyperactive, practically bouncing off the walls, despite the Ritalin. Then the film follows Robert to school. He sings "My Country 'Tis of Thee" along with his classmates, he reads more than competently, he says "Yes, ma'am" to his teachers, and — can this be? — he makes the honor roll. "I think what we've got here is two Roberts," his principal, Vicky Beckham, tells Anna Threadgill, Robert's grandmother, during a home visit. Anna is not pleased by the suggestion that her grandson's teachers can control him but she cannot, and she reacts with a veiled version of her deadly modus operandi. When Ms. Beckham assures Robert that he has everything he needs for success, and specifically that he is intelligent and nice-looking, Anna responds immediately, taking on her grandson's voice: " `I'm good-looking, and all the kids are jealous of me, and they all call me ugly,' " she says. "But say, `I know I'm good-looking.' " If this is Anna's good behavior for the camera, one shudders to imagine how she treats Robert when Ms. Kennedy and Mr. Doob leave. Indeed. And unfortunately, the theme is an all too common one when it comes to kids with behavioral problems. Meanness begets meanness. And it's a lot harder to cure than poverty. posted by Sydney on 3/24/2004 08:32:00 PM 0 comments 0 Comments: |
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