Hello Herman (2012)

A journalist interviews a sixteen year old boy, who is in police custody after he shot and killed 42 people at his high school.

Director:

Michelle Danner

Writer:

John Buffalo Mailer

Stars:

Norman Reedus, Garrett Backstrom, Martha Higareda

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Norman Reedus	...	Lax
Garrett Backstrom	...	Herman Howards
Martha Higareda	...	Isa Cruz
Rob Estes	...	Chet Clarkson
Sabrina Debler	...	Jennifer
Andy McPhee	...	Sean Gall
Olivia Faye	...	Marsha Dixon
Jake White	...	Michael Ray
Alex Neuberger	...	Michael Green
Lindsay Bushman	...	Susan
Priscilla Herman	...	Gaby
Samantha Herman	...	Lisa
Arielle Sitrick	...	Lena
Jordan White	...	Bully
Alec George	...	Timmy

Storyline

Set in the not so distant future, in Any Town USA, sixteen year old Herman Howards makes a fateful decision. He enters his suburban school and kills thirty nine students, two teachers, and a police officer. Just before his arrest he emails his idol, famous journalist Lax Morales, sending him clips of the shootings captured with Herman's own digital camera. In the clips Herman tells Lax, "I want to tell my story on your show". Lax, haunted by his own past, is now face to face with Herman. The movie explores why and how a massacre like this can happen in our society, desensitizing in America, youth violence and bullying, the impact the media has on our individual quest for fame, and ultimately our need for connection.

---

Plot Keywords:

downward spiral | bullying | loneliness | pro life | death penalty | 

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Certificate:

TV-14

Did You Know?

Quotes

[first lines]
Herman Howards: [putting a gun to the back of his head] Hey, Michael, spare some change?
Michael Ray: [turns around]
Herman Howards: I'm the one asking the questions now, fuck face!

---

Connections

References Kids (1995)

---

Soundtracks

Story's End
Written by David Culiner
Performed by lovethislife

User Reviews

Haunting & Compelling

This a truly haunting film. Norman Reedus as an online journalist is understated and thoughtful. Garett Buckstrom as the teenager killer is oddly compelling. It's a powerful subject, hypnotically rendered. And I found myself thinking about my own high school bully. Halfway through the film, my wife asked me, "Are kids that mean? The answer, alas, is yes. And the film shows the ways technology---Facebook and the like---renders cruelty both easier to commit and more harmful The killings in the film are rendered in freeze frame so that we see the horror on the victims' faces, but nothing else. There's plenty of gore, though, in the video games that obsess the teenage killer who commits the massacre. The film is part of the "Hello Herman Project" to create dialogue about school bullying. This compelling film is an excellent tool to get the conversation started between parents and children. Well worth watching.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 June 2013 (USA)

Also Known As:

Merhaba Herman

Box Office

Budget:

$1,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$5,985, 9 June 2013

Gross USA:

$8,437

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$8,437

Company Credits

Production Co:

All in Films, Roughsky Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Color:

Color