Shattered Silence - 27th March 2012

This week's Tuesday Night is Film Night film, was taken from a recent broadcast on Channel 5 (UK), it transpires that it was a made for TV movie and according to IMDB was called Sexting in Suburbia.
So, I was not holding up much hope for;

Shattered Silence

Firstly, I'm not sure why we have a differing title listed in IMDB.

Secondly, being a 'made for TV' movie, there is no commercial release available, from what I can see. (Don't get confused with a film of the same name starring Michael Douglas).

Thirdly, after saying all that, the film was really good!

Shattered Silence follows the aftermath of a foolishly sent text message from high school student, Dina Van Cleve (Jenn Proske) to her then boyfriend Mark Carey (Ryan Kelley).

Basically, Dina thought Marks advances, on the night of the Home Coming dance, were slightly forward, shall we say and told him that she was not ready to make that kind of commitment, Mark took exception to being shunned and walked off.
As an apology, Dina sent Mark a personal and provocative picture message, or a Sext (hence the secondary title of the film).
However, Mark out of spite or plain foolishness, doesn't waste anytime, returns to the dance and starts making out with Skylar Reid, another girl from school, who's Mum, coincidentally is friends with Dina's Mum, Rachel Van Cleve (played fantastically by Liz Vassey).

So, what happens to the picture message? Somehow, it gets from Mark's phone and onto somebody else's. However, before long, the picture message has spread around the whole school and beyond.
And all of a sudden Dina Van Cleve is bullied and mocked for what she has done. Everybody looks at her at school and they start to make snide comments. She is branded a slut for what she has done. She is kicked off the hockey team and she falls out with Mark, quite rightly, but also her relationship with her best friend Claire, is torn to pieces.

The affect on Dina is devastating and as you will see, at the very start of the movie, and I only mention it now to build the tension, she commits suicide. And is found hanging by her mother.

Dina's mother, Rachel, then spends the rest of the movie seeking out answers as to what happened in the six weeks between the Home Coming Dance and Dina's suicide.

Shattered Silence is an intriguing drama, with suspense, tension and atmosphere. It portrays realistically the real issues with school and cyber bullying. Although the last 5 minutes of the film needs to be taken with a pinch of salt, as it was more to do with delivering a message, rather than providing a conclusion to a story.

Having said that, we really enjoyed Shattered Silence and would urge anybody to see it, if they get a chance.