''Odd Girl Out'' is a 2005 drama

telefilm A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

starring

Alexa Vega Alexa Ellesse PenaVega (née Vega; born August 27, 1988) is an American actress and singer. She is known for her roles as Carmen Cortez in the ''Spy Kids'' film series and Julie Corky in the 2004 film ''Sleepover''. In 2009, she starred as the ...

Lisa Vidal Lisa Vidal (born June 13, 1965) is an American actress of Puerto Rican heritage. She starred in the Lifetime crime drama series ''The Division'' (2001–2004) and BET drama series ''Being Mary Jane'' (2013–2019). Vidal also starred in the shor ...

Elizabeth Rice Elizabeth Ellen Rice (born November 5, 1985) is an American actress, performing in television and film. Awards and nominations She won the Grand Jury Award in the 2008 Solstice Film Festival for Best Actress for '' From Within'' (2008 File ...

Alicia Morton Alicia Morton (born April 29, 1987) is an American former actress, singer, dancer, drama teacher, and veterinarian technician. She starred as Annie Bennett Warbucks in the 1999 Wonderful World of Disney production of ''Annie'', which was based o ...

Leah Pipes Leah Pipes (born August 12, 1988) is an American actress. She starred in the television series ''Life Is Wild'', the slasher film ''Sorority Row'' and the CW's '' The Originals''. Early life Pipes was born in Los Angeles, California. Career She ...

, Shari Dyon Perry, Joey Nappo, and Chad Biagini. First aired April 4, 2005 on Lifetime, the film is based on the book ''Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls'' by

Rachel Simmons Rachel Simmons is an American author of the book ''Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls'' published in 2002. () Background Simmons graduated from Vassar College and was a Rhodes Scholar at Lincoln College, Oxford where she ...

. It sheds light onto the topic of

school bullying School bullying, like bullying outside the school context, refers to one or more perpetrators who have greater physical strength or more social power than their victim repeatedly by acting aggressively toward their victim. Bullying can be verb ...

among girls.

Plot

Vanessa Snyder (

) is a beautiful and intelligent eighth-grader who is best friends with queen bee Stacey Larson (

) and Nikki Rodriguez (

), who is secretly jealous of the bond between the two. Outside of the clique is the kindhearted Emily (Shari Dyon Perry), and the "wannabe" Tiffany Thompson (

), who desires to become part of the group. Vanessa's loving divorced mother Barbara (

) is proud of her esteemed daughter. One day, Nikki tricks Vanessa into getting close to Tony (Chad Biagini), a boy whom Stacey (and somewhat Vanessa) has a crush on. Vanessa is subsequently ostracized from the posse and Tiffany is allowed in, becoming Nikki's sidekick. Stacey pretends to still be Vanessa's friend, all the while enabling the abuse against her, including during gym class. The clique also creates a website called "Hating Vanessa" in which students post insulting content about her. Although Emily encourages Vanessa to not run back to the clique, she tries to make amends but is rebuffed. Vanessa hides in one of the bathroom stalls and the clique, knowing she is there, arrives in the bathroom and badmouths her. Vanessa becomes deeply depressed and later cuts most of her hair off and skips school, fearing being mocked for her new look. Barbara addresses the bullying with Stacey's mother Denise (

Rhoda Griffis Rhoda Griffis (born January 9, 1965) is an American actress who has played supporting roles both in independent and mainstream films and television. Life and career Griffis appeared onstage in ''Angels in America'', '' Proof'', '' Collected Sto ...

), who trivializes it. When her mother confronts her for being truant, Vanessa shows Barbara printed-out insults that the girls have made about her online. Barbara goes to the school to address the situation to the principal Miss Jessup (Margo Moorer), who says that she cannot punish verbal abuse. Meanwhile, Stacey has made it appear that Vanessa copied her assignment when it was actually vice versa; it is resolved by the two girls and their mothers with Miss Jessup. Vanessa's spirits are suddenly lifted when she is told that she is still invited to Stacey's birthday party and that it is being changed to the following night. She and Barbara arrive at a club, where the party supposedly is, but it turns out that Stacey lied, causing Vanessa to break down and attempt suicide by overdose. She is taken to the emergency room and subsequently treated. Emily accuses Stacey of nearly killing Vanessa and is the only one of her peers to visit her in the hospital and befriend her. Back at home, Barbara comes upon a group chat, where some students at the school taunt Vanessa and urge her to really kill herself. Barbara prints out the group chat's messages and Miss Jessup threatens to expel the students who made the comments. Upon returning to school, Vanessa and Stacey reunite and chat online after the latter apologizes for everything. Stacey sends the chat to Nikki, who prints it out and derisively reads it with Tiffany's help to Vanessa in the crowded hallway after the graduation ceremony. Vanessa confronts Stacey in front of everyone, seeing right through her lies. Everyone applauds as a humiliated Stacey walks out of the school, disbanding the bullying clique. Barbara watches with pride as Vanessa and Emily hug and leave together for an after-party.

Cast

as Vanessa Snyder *

as Barbara Snyder *

as Stacey Larson *

as Nikki Rodriguez * Shari Dyon Perry as Emily *

as Tiffany Thompson * Joey Nappo as Ezra *

as Denise Larson * Nancy McLoughlin as Ms. Donnely * Margo Moorer as Miss Jessup * Chad Biagini as Tony * Micheal Arata as Dave Larson

Release

The film was released on

DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kind ...

in 2006 by

Lionsgate Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation, doing business as Lionsgate, is a Canadian-American entertainment company. It was formed by Frank Giustra on July 10, 1997, domiciled in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and is currently headquartered ...

. On July 31, 2012, the film was re-released in a package of 4 Lifetime original movies on DVD titled ''Surviving High School''.

References

External links

* * {{Tom McLoughlin 2005 films 2005 drama films 2005 television films 2000s English-language films 2000s teen drama films American drama television films American teen drama films Films about school bullying Films based on non-fiction books Films directed by Tom McLoughlin Films scored by Mark Snow Films shot in New Orleans Lifetime (TV network) films