Nickelodeon's first live-action made-for-TV movie
Nolan Byrd (played by Devon Werkheiser) is a shy tech wizard inspired by his teacher to do a report on the local bully, Bubba Bixby (Andrew Caldwell), and the terror he reigns over school. The overwhelming positive reception of the site causes him to expose other injustices at the school and, soon, in the city.
Movie Tropes:
- An Aesop: Do the right thing, no matter how unpopular it might make you.
- Composite Character: Nolan Byrd is a composite of Cookie and Ned from Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide. He has Cookie's technological know-how and good grades combined with Ned Bigby's kindness and shyness.
- Cool Teacher: Mr. Green all the way. It takes a really cool teacher to play the guitar before and after class without coming off as Totally Radical.
- Creepy Good: Miriam is very weird, but she does have Shredderman's back the whole time, even when the school turns on him.
- Disproportionate Retribution: Dr. Voss responds to the humiliating expose on her by removing the sports equipment and even resorts to a criminal offense by shutting down the handicap elevator.
- Earn Your Happy Ending: Nolan Byrd gets his old friend Max back, makes a new friend, Todd, along the way, and wins Isabel's affection.
- Good Parents: Both of Nolan's parents have a good relationship with Nolan despite being at a difficult age. They respect his privacy and it's clear his dad wants to bond with Nolan when he has a chance. His mom is concerned when he starts acting strange, but drops the whole issue when she thinks it's because he has a girlfriend. Even in that instance, she's nothing short of happy for him.
- Heel Realization: When Miriam calls out Tina and Isabel for turning on Shredderman over a genuine mistake on his part, then being shocked he gave up, Isabel feels genuinely bad for turning on him.
- Hidden Depths: Bubba shows some subtle signs of intelligence throughout, such as dying Claudia's fur in case Shredderman found Claudia and pointing out that Shredderman has been making bold accusations about his father with no evidence.
- Humble Pie: Subverted. It seems like Bubba has turned over a new leaf after his humiliation. Nolan Byrd reveals he was joking, and Bubba learned absolutely nothing.
- Jerkass Has a Point: When Nolan points out the Calling Card doesn't prove Shredderman committed the sabotage and animal theft, Bubba responds by pointing out that Shredderman has been making (true) accusations against his dad without evidence. Even Mr. Green agrees that Bubba has a point.
- Laser-Guided Karma: Bob Bixby is sentenced to community service for paying off the scientists, and his business is inevitably ruined due to the bad reputation he now has; Dr. Voss is fired and dyed blue; Bubba loses his chance to inherit the business and all the leverage he had over others.
- Loves My Alter Ego: Both Miriam and Isabel are attracted to Shredderman. Miriam humorously "dumps" Nolan in favor of Shredderman. Isabel, unlike most examples, is neutral-skewed-slightly-positive towards Nolan until she realizes he's Shredderman.
- "Not So Different" Remark: Bubba points out that him accusing Shredderman of criminal acts with only a Calling Card as evidence isn't any different than Shredderman accusing his father of things without proof. Nolan even concedes and uploads the evidence online.
- Pragmatic Villainy: Even though Dr. Voss puts her foot down and suspends Bubba for his bullying, her loyalty to Bob Bixby through it all shows that this was just so no one would suspect that she's in on his plan.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: The mayor ignores the protests, thinking it's just kids being resistant to change, but when he hears a recording of Bob Bixby admitting he paid off the scientists who proved his urban renewal project was safe, he rips up the contract and decides to audit him.
- Regretful Traitor: It's clear the whole movie that Max is not the least bit happy about betraying Nolan and only did it out of self-preservation.
- Rule of Three: Isabel says "Nolan Byrd, you are so weird" three times.
- Secret-Keeper:
- It's clear about three-quarters in that Isabel knows Nolan is Shredderman but chooses to keep it, but she does drop unsubtle hints to Nolan at the end that she knows.
- Mr. Green is the first to figure out Nolan is Shredderman and keeps it, even after it gets him in trouble.
- "Well Done, Son" Guy: Inverted. It's clear Nolan's father wants his son to look up to him and tries to get him to do his report on him. He even takes Nolan's report with him to read on the plane to the G8 summit at the end when Nolan actually does do his report on him to cover up any involvement on the Shredderman website.
- Wrench Wench: Nolan's mom spends most of the movie rebuilding the sink, even having to resort to a blowtorch at one point. Nonetheless, she gets the job done just fine.
- Wrong Genre Savvy: Nolan's mom thinks Nolan has been behaving weird because he has a girlfriend, the reason this isn't Comically Missing the Point is because the way Nolan has been acting would've been no different had she been right.
