BootDigest
Such a frustrating disappointment
Plustown
A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.
Philippa
All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.
mw97
Unexpected surprise with this movie. The actors are very good, first time I've seen most of them in a performance. The story wrapped very plausibly around the two main characters and very nicely portrayed each one's life. The supporting characters also proved serious in their performance. I hope to see more from Emily Abt too, as this project may have been personal, but she may have much more talent hidden inside and yet to be developed Not into "teen" movies but this was for everyone. Great depictions of family, friend and casual relationships. Not much fluff; it was a very serious look at this generation's struggle in Metro America.
astro129
I caught this movie on cable. I was pleasantly surprised how good it was given the relatively unknown actors. The teens' dialogue seemed realistic and the depiction of the home life felt authentic. It came close to being "cliche ridden" but never quite got there. I presume the director had real life experience with the subject matter. I found myself caring about the characters. However, I wish there would have been at least one positive male role model. It was great to see Gaius Charles - who was terrific in Friday Night Lights - in a different role. In addition, Leslie Uggams did a nice job. For "The Wire" fans, there was a cameo by an actor who had a meaty role in that excellent series.
richard_busman
I really resonated with how the family relationships or lack of support, neglect affected the behaviors. I found this a wonderful example of the power of upbringing to move you forward or leave you empty. I guess it's what I also struggle with and so that's why I really felt this movie. I'm supposed to include ten lines here to get my review posted...hmmm. So much for a little succinct clarity. I also enjoyed the way the story was told. I think the writer and directory, who of course are the same, created a heart felt story without going over the top. She developed the characters and I really empathized with them. I'm almost to ten, there.
dvigilante1
Not sure how in the H double hockey sticks I found this chick flick on netflix but overall it wasn't bad. For the most part the film is what you would expect. However the subject matter is a bit stronger than your typical after school special. Sonequa Martin is a talented actress. I probably would have stopped the film at the beginning but way she kept me involved. A funny thing happened towards the end, I felt really bad for the Jesse character. I guess I started reflecting back on my school years when I knew girls back in high school and jr high who were the "loose women". I've always took pride in myself for not being that person who would take advantage (or made fun) of others. Every know I still wonder what happened to those people.
