It's 'Home Alone' Meets the Mob in 'How to Beat a Bully'

Los Angeles, CA.  Dream Factory Entertainment's new family-friendly film, "How to Beat a Bully" is getting lots of attention. The 83-minute comedy has already been written up in the Huffington Post, Examiner and Splash Magazines Worldwide as well as becoming a splash itself on social media and in tons of reviews on the sites where it is currently playing, Amazon Video and Google Play.

Why is this little movie starting to make a mark?  It launched during October's National Bullying Prevention Month. October is almost over, but unfortunately, the bullying issue isn't. It's a problem that occurs everywhere and for all ages, on and off the Internet. The thing that makes the film "How to Beat a Bully" different is that it uses humor and entertainment to help spread the message to stop bullying. So many stories of bullying are sad and distressing, the filmmakers wanted to create a movie that could provide fun and laughs to kids and parents, yet still promote the idea, "It's better to be friends than bullies."

"How to Beat a Bully" is about a 12-year-old boy who moves to a new town and gets picked on by school bullies. So what does he do?  The only thing that makes sense: he tells them his father is a hit man for the mob! At first no one believes him.  But through a series of misunderstandings, the whole town is convinced. That's because his dad is an Insurance Salesman who keeps telling people they need "protection" and to take out a "contract" with him. The boy soon becomes his bully's BFF, doling out favors to all the kids like a little Godfather. Things escalate when real gangsters find out and think the father is horning in on their territory.  They capture the dad, so the kid and his friends have to save the dad from the mob.

The kids against gangsters is a theme that made a blockbuster out of the #1 family movie of all time, now celebrating it's 25^th anniversary, "Home Alone."  Unfortunately, studios don't release many fun family stories anymore. Now, theatres mostly play big budget action adventures and animated extravaganzas, rather than movies that feature relatable families and real issues like moving to a new place, finding new friends and fending off bullies.

Although "How to Beat a Bully" may not solve the bullying problem, it should provide lots of laughs and entertainment for children, tweens and teens, along with their families.

Truly a multigenerational film, the cast ranges in age from 8 – 80 years old.  The film is recommended family-friendly viewing by the Dove organization for ages 12+, although younger children and adults will enjoy it, too. In addition to Amazon and Google Play, it is set to come out on iTunes, Hulu and other digital platforms as well as on DVD.

"How to Beat a Bully" features songs by the pop rock group, Reverse Order, a semi-finalist on "America's Got Talent." The popular boy band is also doing their part against bullying with their non-profit, Reverse the Trend. The group is on a national tour of over 250 schools throughout the country with an anti-bullying concert and assembly. 

"How to Beat a Bully" and Reverse Order both illustrate how humor and music can be positive ways to spread the message to stop bullying.

Additional information and photos available.

How to Beat a Bully on Amazon Video:  http://tinyurl.com/qhf3jur

How to Beat a Bully on Google Play:    http://tinyurl.com/pyqo49o

Article in Huffington Post:  http://huff.to/1Pwvo3t

Splash Magazines Review:  http://tinyurl.com/psvlxo8