BS High

Partly my fault for wasting my time anymore now that serial documentaries are the 'erudite' alternative to reality programs for relatively cheap to produce streaming filler entertainment. I really can't take this glorification of a psychopath as star of the show to drive this story, it's sickening. It makes all the investigators and journalists complicit to the crime of glorifying his behavior simply by giving him a mic and a camera lens. It's not about anything else than Roy Johnson, so the title, pun included, and certainly the descriptions are deceiving. It's a cringe filled story you've heard many times before only this has been stretched from a 30-60 minute spot to a serial, a meta con with in a con with in a con. HBO is over. 30 on 30 produces much better sports documentaries. Notable quotes: "i could tell you some stories you'd never believe, but I'd literally say whatever I need to say to pull that dog up out you." "One of those stoid kids, I mean one of those young men that I like..."

A thoughroughly interesting story that took some time to get started if you (a) aren't an american and don't understand the American Football and education system and (b) didn't know the story. The amazing thing is how the scum bag Roy isn't in jail. His manipulation and damage he's done to everyone he's ever met is palpable. Its also incredible that he's still walking. A truer sociopath, narcissists and selfish, remorseless being you could never meet. The failing of this documentary is that the directors did not punish him enough with cross examination during interviews. I understand that film makers need to placate the subject until they don't need him any more for their film, but I wanted to see more of his suffering on camera. The biggest question is why would he be part of this doc in the first place... but that tells you everything you need to know about this selfish, self centred ego.

I wish nothing but ill will for this despicable manchild for the rest of his miserable life. The only good thing is that people like this always get what they deserve in the end. He's like a Don King without the money. As for the film, we'll put together and shot. It's simple stuff though, so anyone with half a brain could have shot it. There's no imaginative direction here. A worthwhile 90 mins.

In the world where documentaries often tread the line between sobering realities and the absurd, "BS High" pirouettes over that line wearing clown shoes, executing a flawless landing into the realm of the utterly unbelievable. This cinematic journey into the Bishop Sycamore High School scandal is akin to watching a trainwreck in slow motion, except the train is made of lies, the tracks are made of dreams, and the conductor is none other than Roy Johnson, with a whistle that seems to only play the tunes of deception. The film masterfully strings together interviews with the former head coach, his colleagues, key journalists like Andrew King and Bomani Jones, a determined school sports investigator Ben Ferree, and the bewildered players who rode this train, providing a narrative so wild it would make fiction writers blush.

Directors Martin Desmond Roe and Travon Free make the audience oscillate between uproarious laughter and jaw-dropping disbelief. Through candid interviews with Johnson, Branham, Peterson, and the players, the film peels back the layers of this onion of deceit, and yes, there are tears. The inclusion of journalists and Ferree adds a crucial layer of seriousness to the mix, providing just enough grounding to remind us that this saga, unbelievably, is not a work of fiction. Their incredulous expressions as they recount the unraveling of BS High's façade are worth the price of admission alone.

But it's not just the scandal that steals the show; it's the way "BS High" presents it. Like a magician revealing his tricks, the documentary lays bare the mechanics of the scam with a flair for the dramatic. It's a rollercoaster that you didn't know you needed a ticket for, with twists and turns that leave you questioning the very fabric of reality. In the end, "BS High" is a testament to the truth being stranger than fiction, and a reminder that sometimes, reality needs no embellishment to be thoroughly entertaining. Hats off to the filmmakers for turning one of the most baffling stories in high school sports history into a five-star cinematic experience.

This is a story about a mentally ill man that financial, mentally and emotionally abused kids. You could say that he physically abused them by putting them in dangerous situations. The state of Ohio should be ashamed of themselves for not holding this man accountable for the abuse he committed to these boys that may impact them for the rest of their lives. The amount of greed and cover up would be immense if it were not for social media. ESPN and the documentary makers will financially benefit off of these kids. It's hard to watch this narcissist explain himself for 90 minutes while laughing away. Left me feeling pretty bad.

I would have preferred this documentary to not have the scumbag Roy in it. He tries to come off as a guy that just does what he wants, whenever he wants and laughs about it.

I feel for the kids that were swindled by him. Roy belongs in jail. He even asks am I in jail? He should be. He's a pathological liar. He says he is the most honest liar he knows. That says a lot about him.

I don't understand how any parent didn't check in to this at all. How can you not be interested in it your child's grades?

I think the actual production of the documentary was ok. I think the execution of it was poor. They give Roy way too much camera time.