Bully's Point Of View In The Short Film 'Donkey'

Bullying is a topic, which is often mentioned and discussed for example in forms of art and in debates. No one disagrees with the common opinion; that bullying is a problem, and that I should not take place in a modern society. However, when the sensitive issue is brought into focus it often tend to get a bit monotonous, because we always hear the same story from the victims point of view. Nothing is wrong with that, but a different point of view can give rise to another aspect of the well-known “bullying story”. Exactly that, is what the award-winning short film “Donkey” does. It deals with the issue, seen from the bully’s point of view, and it gives the short movie the power to show a new perspective.

The short film “Donkey” from 2011

by Keir Burrows shows a short bit of the life of David, a man in his late 20’s who have what seems to be a “perfect” and successful life. He’s rich, good looking and he has a well-paid job. Most important it seems; he’s rich. At least that’s the thing he brags about when he unexpected runs across an old classmate. Through the whole short film David’s a first person speaker, and he tells about past events and about his meet with Stanley. That gives the movie a reflective touch, and it makes David seem “deeper” because he’s able to think and be pensive about his actions. We start out with seeing David on one of his morning-walks. On his morning-walk David comes across his old school, which makes him think about his school-time. The sound-side doesn’t fit the picture which we see, because David’s a voice over, and as we see his morning-walk, he shares his thoughts and past experiences.
We get some background information about Stanley, an old classmate, whom David once were friends with but ended up bullying. David describes Stanley as the funny kid in class, but then in high school something had changed. Stanley was now the weird kid, who ended up as a victim for David and his friends’ bullying.
David is aware that he made his new friends through the bullying of Stanley, it’s seen in the lines “He thinks he’s a fucking donkey I said, hee-haw hee-haw. I showed my teeth - and made new friends”. That night, when David meets Stanley on the street it’s like he surprises himself. He catches himself saying “I’m rich” twice, when he feels he has to prove that he’s happy.
It seems like the time has changed a lot between David and Stanley. The former bullying victim appears to be pleased with his life and confident about his situation, but at the same time he’s humble, which is seen when they eat dinner; “I’m not successful like you he said. We’re not rich, but you know, it’s working out”. In contrast to Stanley is David, who needs to show his 3000-dollar-watch to gain confidence.
“Donkey” shows a bullying story which is seen from a new angle and which has a unusual ending. This time the victim doesn’t end up destroyed, the victim ends up being the “winner”. And the bully ends up as the insecure one. The movie is actually captured in David’s last sentence; who’s the donkey now?