The gang of youngsters featured here are probably among the most obnoxious you will ever have the misfortune to meet.

They're rich. They're American. And they have a novel way with dealing with bullies - they gut them and then pull their heads back to slit their throats.

Most bullying victims would either keep their heads down or mumble something to a teacher or parent. Not this lot. They decide they don't like someone and then it's not long before he's feeding the fishes.

Bobby Kent (Nick Stahl) is a pretty unpleasant specimen. He's made life a misery for his so-called best friend Marty (Brad Renfro).

When he's not knocking him about he's constantly on the look-out for trouble for the small circle of friends in this privileged suburb of South Florida.

However, he meets his nemesis in Marty's girlfriend Lisa (Rachel Miner), a frumpy, insecure teen who resents Bobby's malign influence on her man...and suggests they kill him off.

Within hours they've recruited a gang of willing helpers, including Ali (Bijou Phillips), a former hooker and single mum who was raped by Bobby.

Drug-ravaged Donny (Michael Pitt) and Hitman (Leo Fitzpatrick), an older youth who stage manages the slaying, join the fun...and it's not long before Bobby is no more.

There are all sorts of claims that this tells the true story behind the 1993 killing of Bobby Kent, an atrocity that resulted in Marty Puccio narrowly escaping the electric chair.

However, director Larry Clark doesn't even attempt to speculate on the motivation for the slaying when he can cram in another couple of minutes of gratuitous sex.

It's a disturbing film for all the wrong reasons, essentially trivialising the serious subject with a welter of shocking images, foul dialogue and no real answers.

Tim Evans