“Girl Fight” is inspired by a Florida story, the Lakeland teen-beating case that became a YouTube sensation in 2008.
But it’s soon clear we’re not in the Sunshine State. There are mountains in the movie, which debuts at 9 p.m. Monday on Lifetime.
“It’s sort of supposed to be Florida, but it’s shot in Canada,” said screenwriter Benita “Bonnie” Garvin.
“Girl Fight” is trying to tell a bigger story than that of Victoria “Tori” Lindsay, the girl assaulted in Lakeland. The filmmakers got the true-life rights from the Lindsay family, then went their own way, Garvin said.
“You get a story, you begin to investigate,” Garvin said. “It doesn’t fit the requirements of the network, then you embellish. It was inspired by her story, but I don’t see it as her story. It’s a more universal story.”
Garvin talked to the Lindsay family by phone for several hours. The family members in the film have different names, along with dialogue and situations created by Garvin.
“It wouldn’t seem fair to me that it was based on them. I didn’t know them well enough,” Garvin said. “I’m true to the spirit of the story, not the facts. There are marks you have to hit in TV because a commercial is coming up. You have to play to that. TV is not meant to be a documentary. If you want real life, you shouldn’t turn to these movies for that.”
“Girl Fight” sends a message of forgiveness, its stars say. Jodelle Ferland, 16, plays Haley, who is attacked by teen girls. “She’s just a normal girl trying to fit in,” Jodelle said. “How she got through it [the attack] showed a lot of courage. She was angry about it, but she never wanted to get revenge.”
Anne Heche and James Tupper, who are a couple in real life, play Haley’s parents.
“One of the most beautiful things is how our children can teach us things. We have to be open to their wisdom,” Heche said. “My character comes to understand she has to embrace forgiveness.”
The movie gives Heche a major speech in court that Garvin says is close to what actually happened.
“We wrestled with the ending of movie,” Garvin said. “The true ending was about a mother coming to a place of putting aside her own anger, and suddenly looking at the kids and seeing them as little kids. She had one of those moments where they didn’t look like those toughies.”
Tupper said he read the script before learning it was inspired by a true story. “I was astonished,” he said. “Parents in our generation are dealing with new problems created by technology.”
He described the movie as instructive because it helps families deal with issues, such as violence and resolving conflict. He said he signed on to do “Girl Fight” because of the way it ends.
“It’s a very moving choice, and I hope people learn from it,” he said.
Heche said she didn’t know the Lakeland story, either, and said the movie would help bring people up to speed.
“Anything that can help parents understand what’s going on with our children is helpful and worthy of doing,” she said. “I have kids, too, and I want to know what I need to look out for. You have to be an aware parent, you have to learn about it, and you have to support your children.”
by halboedeker
