Dying High 2

Gr 7 Up—Snippets of stories about teenagers dying as a result of driving under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, and other drugs are presented, with the focus on one horrific highway accident that is also told in fragments. The identities of the four victims in the car are never revealed, and viewers are not told what type of drugs they took. The "viewer discretion advised" message should be heeded, as the film chronicles every detail of how the surviving and deceased victims were extracted from the car. Interviews with doctors and EMTs are interspersed with footage of the rescue. In interviews, doctors provide lengthy explanations about what happens to organs, the spine, and the brain in a high-impact car accident. An abundance of medical information is provided, but very little concrete advice is presented about DUI, designated drivers, and navigating peer pressure to use drugs. The film does make a powerful impact, and at the conclusion an EMT raises the question, "Is it really worth drinking if it means not having one of your friends with you…forever?"—Jess deCourcy Hinds, Bard High School Early College Queens, Long Island City, NY