Short Term 12 (B+ or 3/4 stars)
'Short Term 12', written & directed by Destin Cretton, tells the story of Grace (Brie Larson), a committed supervisor/counselor (not therapist) at a group home for damaged adolescents who have slipped through the system; a half-way house for kids to stay at for a year, give or take. The film opens with the staff breaking-in new volunteer, Nate (Rami Malek); showing him the many & varied challenges of looking after these foster kids, most of whom have mental issues. Grace is fully committed to this job & is in love with fellow co-worker, the kindhearted Mason (John Gallagher Jr.).
2 of the teens who get a brunt of the focus in this story include: 1) Marcus (Keith Stanfield) is an about-to-be 18 yr. old African-American who is revving up to leave but is inwardly terrified at the prospect of being all on his own. And 2) Jayden (Kaitlyn Dever), a new patient who harbors a dark secret. Grace & Jayden share an interest in drawing & it serves as a bridge to communication btwn. them. Over the course of the film, Grace's troubled past, carefully buried, starts to surface as a result of the convergence of 3 particular events: her father is about to be released from prison, she finds out that she's pregnant with Mason's baby, & Jayden shows signs of a personal trauma that she once experienced. Drama ensues.
Writer/director Destin Cretton has crafted a heartfelt drama built around Grace, her amazing gifts as a counselor, as well as her serious personal problems. Though she connects in a genuine way with these 'short term' kids, her own demons & struggles eat away at her ... big time. Grace has not told boyfriend Mason that she is pregnant & that she wants an abortion (for more than 1 reason). Abused as a child, Grace knows from experience what it's like to be victimized, to feel alone in a world (even with loved ones around you), and to live in constant fear. When Jayden shares a children's story that she's written & illustrated, Grace reads btwn. the lines of the story & knows what she has to do to save her from a dire fate. The final scenes give us 'some' hope that this caring short term counselor can overcome her deeply infested personal traumas, turn her own life around, & finally allow herself to receive the love all around her that she so deserves.
'Short Term 12' is not a Hollywood film in the classical sense. Character emotions are kept in check. The color scheme of the cinematography is fairly bland. The camera is handheld - which makes for some unwanted shakiness. This technique is used to give the audience a more authentic "we're right there" feel ... but me no likey. Give me a tripod, please. But I digress. The script material is handled very well by said writer/director. I've seen very few counselor/patient dramas that felt as real or affecting as this one; and that's a testament to the performances ...
Brie Larson gives a multifaceted & utterly believable portrayal of Grace; a woman on the edge. She seems 'with it' enough in the early goings on, but we then see her psyche slowly but surely unravel as a result of particular plot incidents. Larson does a great job at conveying exactly what she's feeling with every smile, half-smile, eye squint, facial tick, or other forms of body language. She's quietly riveting.
Also stellar is John Gallagher Jr., who plays her sweet & caring lover/co-worker. And young Kaitlyn Dever is exceptional as Jayden, the young girl whose present problems pique Grace's interest; and for good reason. Watching Dever, you'd think you were watching a documentary, and not a "performance". There really isn't a false note in any of the performances. I left the theater having had a rewarding, if emotionally painful experience. Again, 'Short Term 12' is a small movie with a small budget ... but it has large, life affirming intentions. A movie like this has the ability to change lives for the better.
2 of the teens who get a brunt of the focus in this story include: 1) Marcus (Keith Stanfield) is an about-to-be 18 yr. old African-American who is revving up to leave but is inwardly terrified at the prospect of being all on his own. And 2) Jayden (Kaitlyn Dever), a new patient who harbors a dark secret. Grace & Jayden share an interest in drawing & it serves as a bridge to communication btwn. them. Over the course of the film, Grace's troubled past, carefully buried, starts to surface as a result of the convergence of 3 particular events: her father is about to be released from prison, she finds out that she's pregnant with Mason's baby, & Jayden shows signs of a personal trauma that she once experienced. Drama ensues.
Writer/director Destin Cretton has crafted a heartfelt drama built around Grace, her amazing gifts as a counselor, as well as her serious personal problems. Though she connects in a genuine way with these 'short term' kids, her own demons & struggles eat away at her ... big time. Grace has not told boyfriend Mason that she is pregnant & that she wants an abortion (for more than 1 reason). Abused as a child, Grace knows from experience what it's like to be victimized, to feel alone in a world (even with loved ones around you), and to live in constant fear. When Jayden shares a children's story that she's written & illustrated, Grace reads btwn. the lines of the story & knows what she has to do to save her from a dire fate. The final scenes give us 'some' hope that this caring short term counselor can overcome her deeply infested personal traumas, turn her own life around, & finally allow herself to receive the love all around her that she so deserves.
'Short Term 12' is not a Hollywood film in the classical sense. Character emotions are kept in check. The color scheme of the cinematography is fairly bland. The camera is handheld - which makes for some unwanted shakiness. This technique is used to give the audience a more authentic "we're right there" feel ... but me no likey. Give me a tripod, please. But I digress. The script material is handled very well by said writer/director. I've seen very few counselor/patient dramas that felt as real or affecting as this one; and that's a testament to the performances ...
Brie Larson gives a multifaceted & utterly believable portrayal of Grace; a woman on the edge. She seems 'with it' enough in the early goings on, but we then see her psyche slowly but surely unravel as a result of particular plot incidents. Larson does a great job at conveying exactly what she's feeling with every smile, half-smile, eye squint, facial tick, or other forms of body language. She's quietly riveting.
Also stellar is John Gallagher Jr., who plays her sweet & caring lover/co-worker. And young Kaitlyn Dever is exceptional as Jayden, the young girl whose present problems pique Grace's interest; and for good reason. Watching Dever, you'd think you were watching a documentary, and not a "performance". There really isn't a false note in any of the performances. I left the theater having had a rewarding, if emotionally painful experience. Again, 'Short Term 12' is a small movie with a small budget ... but it has large, life affirming intentions. A movie like this has the ability to change lives for the better.