The subject of bullying is often a sore spot for many people. And let’s be real, there’s nothing worse than minding your own business, and getting picked on for no good cause or reason. While we’re not suggesting fighting bullying back with counter bullying measures is always the best approach, we think it’s okay to admit that when a bully really gets what’s coming to them in a movie, it’s a very satisfying moment.
We’re going to go through a list of some of our favorite times we see bullies getting their comeuppance in movies, because sometimes fighting back is the only option, and it’s worth taking a look at some iconic moments where bad behavior leads to the necessary consequences.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
10 Roscoe Bigger - Big Bully (1996)
Warner Bros.
Let’s start with a happy ending. After growing up and moving on with his life, David Leary (Rick Moranis), has a run-in with former grade school bully Roscoe “Fang” Bigger (Tom Arnold). Bigger was Leary’s singular source of torment throughout his formative years before Leary got him sent to juvenile hall. After taking a job back at his hometown to teach creative writing, the foes reunite, and the torment starts all over again in the form of juvenile pranks, fights, and chases. However, all ends well in Big Bully where both parties admit they were wrong and make amends. They bury the hatchet, and their sons also become fast friends. It’s a bittersweet reminder that people do change, and sometimes a new friendship is just waiting to happen.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
9 Biff Tannen - Back to the Future (1985)
Universal Pictures
Sometimes bullying transcends time and generations, as is the case in Back to the Future. We’re talking about George and Marty McFly being at odds with Biff Tannen. In the original timeline, 1985 Biff was a force to be reckoned with. By bullying George into a subservient position his whole life, present day George worked beneath Biff at the same company and was often treated poorly. When George’s son, Marty travels back to 1955 in Doc’s DeLorean time machine, George is given a stroke of confidence and this causes his younger self to stand up to Biff, altering time forever. We find out that 1985 Biff is a lot more subservient and treats the MyFly’s with respect after all that transpires.
8 Scut Farkus - A Christmas Story (1983)
MGM/UA Entertainment Co.
When it comes to ultimate bad boy beat downs, we need to stop for a second and talk about Scut Farkus from A Christmas Story. Scut was the embodiment of meanness and often the source of torment for Ralphie, Randy, and the rest of the gang; and his menacing laugh was the stuff of nightmares. It all comes to a head when Ralphie throws off his mittens, and goes to pound town on Scut while screaming obscenities for well over a minute of screen time. This is a shining example of somebody who’s experienced bullying, saying “enough is enough” and taking matters into his own hands.
7 Dean Pritchard - Old School (2003)
DreamWorks Pictures
We’re all too familiar with “The Dean” being the arch nemesis in college humor movies, but Dean Pritchard takes the cake. While his origin story involves being bullied himself, he is nothing but humble. He becomes the main antagonist in Old School, and is an overbearing presence to Mitch, Frank, and Bernard, who are just trying to have some fun. Little does Pritchard know, that as stupid as the gang looks, they’re surprisingly good at paperwork, and through a series of games (both physical and administrative), Pritchard is unable to follow through with his plan to sabotage the frat house, gets fired when he’s exposed for fraud, and ultimately crushed by an automobile while fly-fishing. Maybe he didn’t deserve the last thing, but his downfall was satisfying to watch.
6 Everybody Who Laughed - Carrie (1976)
United Artists
Listen, nobody deserves to be doused in pig’s blood during prom. While the titular character in Carrie could have been said to have gone a little overboard, her lashing out was a longtime coming. It’s one thing to be at odds with a singular bully, Carrie was the subject of ridicule for too long, and finally had enough. She unleashes her telekinetic powers and spares no victim when she wipes out her entire class in what could only be called a total bloodbath. Violence is never the answer, but we’re talking about the classic horror novel-turned-movie from none other than Stephen King, so did you really expect anything different?
5 Dorian Tyrell - The Mask (1994)
New Line Cinema
Sometimes bullies belong in the toilet, and this is the case for Dorian Tyrell in The Mask. Okay, so it’s not exactly a toilet, but after being the main antagonist to Stanley Ipkiss (Jim Carrey), and even stealing his mask in an egregious abuse of power, he is eventually thrown into a fountain, and Ipkiss pulls a flusher out of nowhere, and the mobster meets his demise when he’s whisked away to a watery grave. Leave it to Jim Carrey to “flush” the opposition in this 1994 classic.
4 The Jocks - Revenge of the Nerds (1984)
20th Century Fox
Similar to the Dean’s story arc in Old School, the jocks in Revenge of the Nerds lose everything. The Nerds, part of the Tri-Lambs (short for Lambda Lambda Lambda), are the subject of not only pranks and ridicule, but violence and vandalism. The jocks lose their frat house to the Tri-Lambs, and they lose the college games. Most importantly, the nerds get the girls too. This just goes to show you that in some cases, brains win over brawn. This film shows the viewer that even if you’re a nerd, you still have the right to stand up for yourself and show your bully who’s boss.
3 Miss Trunchbull - Matilda (1996)
Sony Pictures Releasing
If you think about it, Matilda is somewhat similar to Carrie. The only difference is that Matilda’s telekinetic powers are less violent, and a lot more slapstick. Agatha Trunchbull is the main antagonist in this film, and she is the personification of torment. Her acts throughout the film are even less forgivable because she’s picking on little kids. But she gets what’s coming to her when she completely loses her sanity, runs amok through the school as Matilda uses her powers to manipulate her surroundings, and it all ends in such a satisfying way when he gets pelted with the contents of every single student’s lunch box before fleeing from the school.
2 Baxter Cain - BASEketball (1998)
Baxter Cain is the rich guy that you just love to hate in BASEketball. His rap sheet is a mile long, and includes blackmail, turning Coop and Reemer against each other, opening up a merchandise shop in Calcutta that exploits child labor, and tries to steal The Beers (Coop and Reemer’s team) from under them through shady business practices. When the Beers win The Denslow Cup, Cain gets what’s coming when he loses the team, the girl, and the respect of the business community in one fell swoop.
1 Hans - Frozen (2013)
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
In the Frozen universe, Hans is the ultimate antagonist. He’s arrogant, power hungry, and preys on the naive, all so he can become king. He seems charming and sweet at first, but we soon find out that he’s quite the manipulative character. But his rise to power is thwarted only before he’s arrested and sent back to his homeland, where punishment is not clear, but we all know he’ll get what he deserves.
