Summer of Netflix Day 57 - Short Term 12

Alexa: Short Term 12 is one of those rare gems of a movie that does a lot with seemingly very little. It’s an understated, character-driven, slice of life movie about a short-term foster care facility for at-risk youth, the teens who have been left broken by the parents who were meant to love and nurture them, and the young employees who strike a careful balance between protector and friend. It has resounding emotional impact without being maudlin or overwrought, anchored by raw performances, natural dialogue and subtle direction. I was particularly impressed with Brie Larson, who plays protagonist Grace and who should really be a bigger star than she is, and Keith Stanfield, whose Marcus is struggling with his impending 18th birthday, when he’ll have to leave the place that for better or worse has been his home for three years. Short Term 12 is the kind of film that stays with me for days, that reinforces the powerful potential of cinema, but while critically beloved, somehow never gained awards season traction. Hopefully, Netflix is the perfect venue for a wider audience to discover it.

Chris: I really enjoyed Short Term 12. With that out of the way, let me just say that I was really worried about the ending of Mason’s story at the end about Marcus because there was a purposeful call-back to the opening to Keith’s story at the beginning that had a tragic end that was revealed after he had finished telling the funny part of it. But it’s a good example of how easy it was for the audience to connect with even the supporting cast that got periodically highlighted. After Marcus crack under the pressure of turning 18, we rooted for him to recover and to find a decent life in adulthood. Mason’s story about Marcus at the end was heartwarming and funny but I kept waiting for the punch-in-the-mouth tragic ending to the story that thankfully never came.

Joel: This movie was a fantastic example of sublt acting and subtle storytelling. So much of what was really powerful in the movie was portrayed in just a brief pause before talking or a certain way that a character held their hands. It's not always easy for a movie to trust its audience to pick up on what it wants us to know. It's so much easier to take the audience by the hand and walk them through the steps to be sure that they get everything. But when a movie like this one really lets the actors work and tell the small, simple story that they're trying to tell, the result can be so much more rewarding. The cast selected for the movie is a group of incredibly talented people. Iv'e see Brie Larson before but mostly in bit parts. The way that she was able to carry the lead of the film shows that she should be constantly offered parts such as this one. The way she was able to take you through the movie, the struggle that she experienced, the fears that she had and the attacement she had for the kids is an incredibly emotional bit of acting in an incredibly emotional movie that never really hits a sour note.

Your Viewing Homework for Tomorrow: Inglourious Basterds