In the film Bully, why is there a lollipop in the glovebox?

July 19, 2007 11:54 AM

Bully: Why is there a lollipop in the glovebox?

Recently I watched Bully and in the scene where Lisa is driving Donny and cousin Derek somewhere, Derek asks if Donny has any acid. Donny opens the glovebox and two of the things visible in the glove box are a cassette and a lollipop in an orange wrapper. Mix tapes were common enough in glove boxes, but I wonder why the lollipop is there.

I doubt it's there on accident; I just don't know why the film makers decided to put it in.

It's not a stoner pop and it doesn't look like the pain-reliever Actiq.

Is it meant to remind us (as if we needed reminding) how young the teens are? Or would Donny and Lisa have some use or need for it for some reason (perhaps related to acid and/or weed)? Is there any explanation for it?

posted by Tuwa to food & drink (12 comments total)

People who use ecstasy (MDMA) often suck on a lollipop. One of the effects of the drug is apparently to stimulate an oral craving. If I recall correctly, there was some MDMA use in the movie.
posted by ikkyu2 at 12:08 PM on July 19, 2007 [1 favorite]

ikkyu2 has it.
posted by NationalKato at 12:12 PM on July 19, 2007

Even if there was no reason for putting it there beyond it being something random they threw it, I don't see it as particularly odd. My girlfriend keeps candy and lollipops in her glovebox and I've seen other people keep all sorts of crazy stuff in there.
posted by wackybrit at 12:13 PM on July 19, 2007

I'll third ikku2.
posted by NotInTheBox at 12:30 PM on July 19, 2007

Another thought: The lollipop could actually contain acid.
posted by NotInTheBox at 12:32 PM on July 19, 2007

Another thought: The lollipop could actually contain acid.

I don't think so. Heat destroys LSD, and you have to melt sugar to make a lollipop, so I think that would frustrate the purpose to add LSD to molten sugar to try to get the LSD in the lollipop. And I don't think pouring liquid LSD over a lollipop would do much for you either, because lollipops aren't terribly absorbent. But hey I'm no acid dealer so I could be wrong.

So yeah, what ikkyu2 said.
posted by falconred at 12:45 PM on July 19, 2007

Even if there was no reason for putting it there beyond it being something random they threw it,

Movies, even indie movies, are art-directed and set-dressed to within an inch of their lives. It is highly unlikely that lollipop was there by random chance.

ikkyu2's answer seems most likely.
posted by dersins at 1:59 PM on July 19, 2007

wackybrit, I wouldn't immediately suspect your girlfriend of drug use; the reason I looked up and mentioned Aptic and stoner pops was that the characters in the film don't seem to have many pastimes beyond taking drugs and having sex. Sorry, I wrote the question poorly--it was important context which I failed to include.

ikkyu2, I don't remember ecstasy use (I do remember pot, acid, and a request for "tweak" [apparently crystal meth]) but your explanation sounds very plausible. Thanks.
posted by Tuwa at 3:14 PM on July 19, 2007

All methamphetamines (including ecstacy) can induce bruxism (jaw clenching / tooth grinding).
posted by snarfodox at 4:00 PM on July 19, 2007

Ah, the final piece of the puzzle. Somehow I'd taken ikkyu2's comment to refer to dry mouth, but dry mouth and teeth grinding can both be a result of the use of methamphetamines. Thanks, snarfodox.

(Incidentally, the ADA has some horrific photos up of the teeth of habitual meth users ... and watching this movie has been more informative than I expeced.)
posted by Tuwa at 4:35 PM on July 19, 2007

All of the drug reasons for the lollipop are also the reason raver girls wore pacifiers. Oh the early 90's
posted by Brainy at 5:29 PM on July 19, 2007

I remember the pacifiers but don't think I ever knew the reason for them ... feeling a bit like Forrest Gump now.
posted by Tuwa at 9:03 PM on July 19, 2007