Top 30 Dealing With Bullies Movie Scenes

“Road House” (2024)
When Elwood Dalton becomes a bouncer at a bar, the rough and rowdy customers underestimate him. This entertaining fight showcases the man’s skills with multiple assailants. As a group of angry bikers mess with patrons, Dalton takes matters into his own hands. He does it all with a blend of humor, directness, and UFC training. His nimble and intricate movements drop one guy after the other, showing that he hasn’t lost his octagon mentality. Gyllenhaal is more than capable here as an action hero, as each slap and punch lands with authenticity. Dalton was willing to call it a draw, but he’s the clear victor here.

“17 Again” (2009)
Given the chance to become a teenager once more, Mike O’Donnell - posing as new kid Mark Gold - befriends his son Alex in high school. He also comes face to face with his kid’s tormentor in this satisfying scene. Stan might be the jock, but he’s no match for an adult’s wisdom and experience. Mike stands up for his son in the lunchroom, humiliating the jerk in front of a group of students. The main character doesn’t need fighting skills to take down his opponent either. Showing off a few basketball moves, the lead dishes out a mental beatdown that could likely cause some emotional scarring.

“Pretty in Pink” (1986)
Whether you’re “team Blane” or not, this scene in “Pretty in Pink” does give the character a chance to redeem himself. He confronts his popular friend Steff McKee and lays down a harsh assessment of the latter’s personality. Steff completely deserves it considering his gross, greedy, and selfish attitude. In only a few words, this speech gives the villain a taste of his own medicine. James Spader plays the antagonist so well that you’re practically cheering when someone finally stands up to McKee. Some people deserve to hear the awful truth about themselves. This classic 80s film wouldn’t be complete without this confrontation.

“The Princess Diaries” (2001)
Mia Thermopolis might have a connection to royalty, but she still has to deal with everyday problems in high school. She comes up against cheerleader Lana[a] Thomas here after enduring a string of insults. Unfortunately for Lana, she doesn’t consider that the hero’s ice cream might come into play. Mia decides to ruin the mean girl’s uniform in a hilarious surprise. The only thing that makes the moment better is Vice Principal Gupta’s reaction courtesy of Sandra Oh. It makes us wish that we had the same idea in school! Lana truly got her “just deserts.”

“The Fabelmans” (2022)
As a semi-autobiographical look at Steven Spielberg’s life, this film follows Sammy Fabelman as he dreams of being a filmmaker. His final encounter with the hate-filled Logan and Chad is more eye opening than anybody would have expected. When the hero makes a movie of his class, he ends up turning one of his arch nemeses into a hero. This causes an unexpected confrontation whereby Fabelman dishes out all his feelings about life, art, and Logan himself. It’s a stirring and emotional scene that digs much deeper than a typical argument. Logan may or may not have turned a corner, but he’s convinced enough to defend Sammy from Chad. Spielberg lets the moment speak for itself, asking viewers to consider why people feel compelled to pick on others at all.

“The Outsiders” (1983)
In this adaptation of the classic S.E. Hinton novel, the poor Greasers find themselves in a feud with the rich kids, or “Socs[b].” This all comes to a head at a climactic rumble. Both gangs face off, despite the rough conditions. The heroes assemble as they teach their spoiled rivals a lesson. It might not be pretty, but this rain-soaked brawl does feel like a cathartic moment for the remaining ensemble. The complicated tale of teenage violence leads to triumphant victory for the boys. Even with the tragedy in “The Outsiders,” this win still illustrates how far they’ll go to prove themselves against the upper class jerks.

“Addams Family Values” (1993)
What happens when you send the Addams family children to camp? In this sequel, Wednesday and Pugsley show that they’re not to be trusted with a childhood tradition. During their Thanksgiving play, the siblings revolt against their happy-go-lucky campers. The outcasts prove that they may look or act different, but they don’t let anybody tell them what to do. They also prove how resourceful the Addams family can be in a daring escape. With a dash of dark humor, this scene shows what happens when kids rebel against conformity. We certainly wouldn’t want to cross this brother and sister!

“Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope” (1977)
The Mos Eisley[c] cantina is full of colorful characters, but not all of them are friendly. Luke Skywalker then finds himself up against two unsavory beings. When it looks like a fight might start, a lightsaber emerges to sever one of the Aqualish mercenary’s arms. Obi-Wan Kenobi enters the fold in a memorable save from the Jedi master. The wise man doesn’t take kindly to anyone picking on people, giving the enemy a permanent mark that they’ll never forget. It all happens so quickly that only fast reflexes can save the day. While he might seem older, Kenobi hasn’t lost any of his edge whenever somebody needs taking down a peg - or arm.

“Matilda” (1996)
Using her powers of telekinesis, Matilda Wormwood is able to scare Miss Agatha Trunchbull. The protagonist, and the rest of the students, have been treated so poorly by the principal that this scene can’t come soon enough. Wormwood freaks out Trunchbull by writing a message on the chalkboard, later sending erasers after the villain. It’s an effective sequence that reminds viewers why this antagonist doesn’t deserve any mercy. The baddie tries to fight back, but she later gets food thrown at her before being chased from the school. Most of the student body eventually comes together to offer up a memorable dose of revenge.

“Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” (2004)
After everything that Draco Malfoy has done, this moment is well deserved. The jerk spends two movies being insufferable before somebody finally snaps. Hermione spots the Slytherin from afar, gloating over his latest misdeed and approaches him with the laser focus of a prize fighter. She threatens him with her wand and even makes him cry for a change. Before it’s all over, the lovable Gryffindor throws not a spell, but a fist into Malfoy’s face! We can’t feel too bad for somebody that personifies all of our childhood nightmares put together. While not everyone’s real-life tormentors can be punished, in this scene Malfoy gets his glorious comeuppance.

“Dazed and Confused” (1993)
If you put yourself in the shoes of someone who is about to be chased down and violently beaten with a paddle, then we totally understand if you get the impulse to run. But when the man wielding the paddle is Fred O’Bannion, you might be well advised to take your lumps, because if you defy him there is little chance he will let it go. But these guys don’t: crafting a scheme of their own, a group of his intended prey pours paint all over him and runs off into the night, leaving Fred embarrassed and very angry. It’s truly epic to watch him drive over a curb and realize his car seat must be covered in paint!

“Fist Fight” (2017)
Andy should take a lesson from his daughter on how to deal with bullies. With a little help from Big Sean, Ally gets some revenge on her abuser in the form of public humiliation. The shock and discomfort on the faces of the entire audience are palpable as Ally fearlessly dedicates an impassioned, uncensored performance of an appropriately titled Big Sean track. On top of the shock factor of seeing a young girl sing the explicit song, the scene also drives the plot of the movie forward, as Ally’s bold actions inspire Andy to stand up to his own bully. After her jaw-dropping performance, she exits the stage to a standing ovation.

“Mean Girls” (2004)
If you haven’t had the pleasure of watching “Mean Girls,” you’re missing out. Written by Tina Fey, it’s a great film that leaves you loving its characters, even the outright awful Regina George. When all of the young women in this teen comedy make peace, she is the only one who can’t [or won’t] take part. This makes the audience pity her for the briefest of moments. Despite her humanity, though, Regina is not at all kind and deserves to be the odd woman out. Being hit by a bus may be a cruel punishment, but it’s also hilarious.

“The Craft” (1996)
Sometimes the worst bullies disguise themselves as friends. It all started out so innocently. The four witches experimented with magic and learned some spells to help them right a few wrongs in their lives, but after witnessing the heavy toll that their spells take, Sarah wants to stop. The coven refuses, and turns on Sarah, sending her haunting images in her dreams. Sarah fights back. Much worse than any physical or verbal retaliation, she gets inside their minds with her own powers, causing Bonnie and Rochelle to experience their worst nightmares. Mad with power, Nancy tries to kill Sarah, but the heroine sentences Nancy to the worst fate of all, binding her from ever using magic again.

“Dumb and Dumber” (1994)
When Harry and Lloyd set out on the road to return a briefcase, they don’t have survival instincts or intelligence to rely on. But when they encounter a man only known as Sea Bass, who makes them feel small and spits in their food, the unlikely happens. Hit with what we can only assume is divine inspiration, they actually outmaneuver their adversary and trick him into unknowingly taking on their tab. It’s hysterical and surprising, although things do get awkward when Lloyd runs into Sea Bass later.

“A History of Violence” (2005)
Jack appears to be the mild-mannered type, who uses humor to avoid bad situations with bullies, and walks away rather than fight. But when Bobby and his crew refuse to let him walk away, Jack loses his sense of humor. Just as Bobby is taunting him by saying sarcastically that his father, who has been dubbed a town hero for taking down two robbers at his diner singlehandedly, would be so proud of him, Jack clobbers them all. Bobby definitely isn’t laughing now, as it turns out Jack is a chip off the old block after all.

“Good Will Hunting” (1997)
Have you ever met someone who desperately wants you to know how smart they are? We have, which is why it’s so great to watch one of these pretentious pricks be absolutely schooled. A ponytail sporting douche desiring to make strangers look inferior in order to impress ladies and bystanders, this blond bar patron proves that knowledge flaunted is knowledge wasted. Enter Will Hunting, a genius who really is the smartest guy in the room. Proving that the mind is more powerful than a pair of fists, Will swiftly puts the jerk in his place.

“Central Intelligence” (2016)
Can you picture Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson getting bullied? Well, Robbie Weirdicht was the victim of a pretty cruel senior prank thanks to Trevor Olson that left him naked and embarrassed in front of the entire senior class. 20 years later, Trevor is still just as big of a bully as ever, but Robbie Weirdicht, now CIA agent Bob Stone, certainly has changed. And he doesn’t like bullies. At their high school reunion, Bob finally gets 2 decades of pent up revenge on his old nemesis with a simple punch to the face. This is followed by a speech about what it means to be the true hero of your own story, and a cathartic twist on the prank Trevor pulled on him.

“Spider-Man” (2002)
When we are introduced to Flash Thompson in the first “Spider-Man” film, he seemed like the type of guy who would make life difficult for many fellow students. Peter Parker, on the other hand, seemed like the type of guy that the strong-willed could walk all over with ease. There is a hint of an inner fortitude in puny Peter, however. With the bite of a radioactive spider, the power balance is reversed. Though Peter may not have been entirely comfortable with the unfamiliar outcome, we sure were.

“Toy Story” (1995)
Sid is vicious. Every toy in the neighborhood knows that if you get lost in Sid’s yard, you never return. So when Sid gets his hands on Buzz, Woody pulls out all the stops to save him from being destroyed. In perhaps the most memorable scene in the movie, Woody teams up with Sid’s misfit toys that come to life. They emerge from the sandbox and the muddy puddles in his backyard to scare the 10-year-old straight. They don’t just save Buzz; they make sure Sid never hurts another toy again.

“Three O’Clock High” (1987)
Buddy Revell is the type of person that makes you want to cross the street instead of having to walk by him. When Jerry, a fellow student, is assigned by the school paper to question him, he arouses Buddy’s ire and wins a date with his fists. Jerry’s destruction is seemingly set for the end of the school day. After choosing to pay him off, Jerry receives a sincere and severe insult that inspires him to not only stand up for himself, but also challenge the beast to a fight. Aided by brass knuckles, Jerry knocks his massive adversary out and wins the day.

“Kick-Ass 2” (2013)
It’s hard to imagine a girl who can kill a man with his own finger feeling vulnerable. But after Brooke and her crew pretend to be Mindy's friends, then ditch her in the woods, Mindy is shaken. Taking some advice from her Robin, Mindy beats them at their own game. These mean girls may wear a pretty, popular, and pristine costume, but one touch from the sick stick and all that ugliness they have on the inside upchucks right out. Everyone dreams about getting the ultimate revenge on a bully. Well, this scene has everything you could possibly want: an epic speech, public humiliation, and the perfect soundtrack.

“Carrie” (1976)
Carrie White is an innocent soul who has spent her life under the thumb of everyone around her, whether it’s the supposed cool kids or her possessive mother. Beset by her maturing body and dastardly peers, she is set up to feel accepted - until the moment it is all pulled away from her. Fueled by telekinetic powers and an anger that only a lifetime of abuse can foster, she then unleashes hell upon prom and particularly those who trespassed against her.

“It” (2017)
When Henry Bowers and his crew of bullies are beating up on the home-schooled kid, Mike, three on one, the Losers Club show up and even up the battlefield. Just as Henry is about to bludgeon Mike with a rock, Beverly bludgeons Henry first. This action incites a full-on rock war that sends the bullies running away like a bunch of cowards. The shocked and pained look on Henry Bowers’ face as the Losers pummel them is the ultimate vindication. The Losers are the winners here.

“A Christmas Story” (1983)
“A Christmas Story” does a delightful job at capturing the wonder and whimsy of childhood. It also isn’t afraid to address the darker, colder moments of youth either, though. Ralphie is one of the most beloved characters in film history, so the neighborhood bullies that frighten him and his friends make us both uncomfortable and angry. When our little man loses his cool and mercilessly pounds Scut all the while spouting profanity, the relief we feel is incredibly powerful.

“Stand by Me” (1986)
Kiefer Sutherland may have gone on to play one of the greatest TV heroes of all time in “24,” but he plays a very different sort of character here. Looking like evil incarnate, Ace Merrill would be terrifying even to grown men, yet he spends his time contending with a foursome of young friends. Young Gordie, played by nerd icon Wil Wheaton, is the farthest thing from fearsome, which is why it is so satisfying when he pulls a gun and stands up for himself and his friends in this scene from the coming of age drama.

“Moonlight” (2016)
The only way to really deal with a bully is to stand up to them. After the school bully, Terrel, gets Chiron’s best friend, Kevin, to beat him up, Chiron takes a four-pronged stance with the help of a chair. Chiron walks into class with a sense of purpose, picks up an empty chair, and smashes him over the head with it. Simple, yet effective. What makes this scene so memorable is that it comes completely out of left field, with no warning and no buildup.

“Kingsman: The Secret Service” (2014)
Manners maketh man. When Eggsy finds himself in trouble with his neighborhood thugs, his new friend and mentor, Harry, steps in and attempts to teach them this very important lesson. But the thugs persist and Harry challenges them to a fight. To their, and Eggsy's, surprise, he takes out all of them with the most unlikely of weapons: his trusty umbrella. Each new trick that the umbrella possesses, such as its bulletproof quality, and stun gun setting, make the fight even more epic. The scene is so epic that the movie calls back to it in a mid-credits scene, where Eggsy gives the exact same thugs a second lesson in manners.

“Back to the Future” (1985)
The villain of “Back to the Future,” Biff Tannen seems like a typical bully that comes from a long line of bullies. Spending his days threatening others with violence and extorting schoolwork, the only thing that makes him stand out is how entertaining he is at first sight. Then we watch Biff interact with Lorraine Baines and recognize that he will stop at nothing to get what he wants. In the other corner, there is the weak and scared George McFly that couldn’t hurt, well… a fly. In the end, however, Marty’s father turns it all around and knocks Biff out in a single blow. For us, there is nothing better.

“The Karate Kid” (1984)
To keep Daniel from being relentlessly and continuously beaten up by Johnny Lawrence of Cobra Kai, Mr. Miyagi makes a deal that the two will fight once and for all at the upcoming karate tournament. Though Mr. Miyagi is a skilled teacher, Daniel is the least experienced student at the tournament, yet fights his way all the way into the finals to face Johnny. Overcoming intimidation tactics and cheap shots, Daniel wins the match with the legendary crane kick. In the end, Johnny is changed by the experience. Daniel doesn’t just beat him, he earns his respect.


Which scene featuring tormentors from the last decade resonated with you? Let us know in the comments below.