Bang Bang You’re Dead

Reviewed by:
Paul Ulane

Tom Cavanagh runs around as a hyperactive lawyer on his show Ed, and now he’s running around as a hyperactive guidance counselor in the slightly less cheery Bang Bang You’re Dead. As Val Duncan, his younger, relates-to-the-kids authority figure tries to connect with the alienated teens who seem more and more bent on striking back. And he does so through every angry teenager’s favorite activity: the school play! Trevor (Ben Foster) is unsettling as the troubled teen leading the charge, as Bang combines the worst-case scenarios from all the recent high school tragedies into one. What starts out as a guilty pleasure in the vein of Degrassi Junior High—without all the “aboots”—quickly cascades into an Afterschool Special, complete with panel discussions and town meetings. Show up for the first half to relive all your high school clique glory—just don’t forget your varsity jacket.

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