Really Surprised!

I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Denim (Brad William Henke) is the 33 year old head counselor at a children's home for troubled teens. Fellow counselor Natalia (Tania Verafield) is pregnant and wants more from him. Mark (Keith Stanfield) struggles as he is forced to leave the facility as he turns 18. Jayden (Phoenix Henke) acts out when her father fails to show up.This is a short from Destin Daniel Cretton that is the building block for his full length feature. Many elements in the later film has its origins in this one. The acting other than Henke is amateurish. It is pretty good effort for a short. It definitely has the feel of realism and no budget feel actually helps in that.

First of all, full disclosure, I have basically been the main character of this film. I worked for many years in group homes with troubled teens. I encountered all of the situations in this film and more. So, the only issues I have with the film are nit-picky ones. For instance, the summary describes this as a group home when it more accurately should be called a residential facility. Group homes are by nature a more "home-like" atmosphere and are not constructed with cinder blocks. Also, some of the posters and such would never be allowed to be displayed because of inappropriate content. And residents/clients/consumers (labels change depending on what is judged as politically correct) would never be allowed to have access to scissors unsupervised. Anyway, despite all that it is an accurate portrayal of what the day to day routine is like working in a group home or residential facility. In fact, it's very close to the movie I fantasized about making while working. People have a hard time understanding how you can be in a situation that goes from being spit upon to having an intimate emotional moment with that same person. It was a great short and I highly recommend it, especially to those who have worked with adolescents.