Short Term 12 (2013)

Short Term 12 (2013)

Directed by: Destin Daniel Cretton

Starring: Brie Larsson, John Gallagher Jr, Kaitlyn Dever, Keith Stanfield

Certificate: 15

Genre: Drama - Indie

Short Term 12 is a low budget indie film based on the namesake short film written and directed by Destin Daniel Cretton. This film follows two main characters, boyfriend and girlfriend, Grace (Brie Larsson) and Mason (John Gallagher Jr) who are supervising staff members at a local residential treatment facility for children from troubled backgrounds.

As we see Grace and Mason working at this facility we can see the friendly, supportive connections these two have with the children in particular a new girl called Jayden (Kaitlyn Dever) and a teenage boy who is soon to leave called Marcus (Keith Stanfield) whose problems mirror the issues of Grace and Mason themselves and what they have been through in their past. Throughout the film we see the development of the relationships between these four main characters and the relationship of Grace and Mason.

I had never previously heard of this film before today, but I came across it on Netflix and have not regretted watching it one bit. This film has you cycling through facial expressions and emotions throughout the whole narrative, from smiling with happiness, to laughing at the comedy, and being in tears at the more upsetting themes in this film which are very tense to watch.

One of the many strong elements of this film is the characterisation of the different personalities on the film from the adults to the kids. As an audience, you care for the people in the film, you become emotionally attached, you care about characters actions and emotions throughout the exposition which epitomises the excellent job Destin Daniel Cretton has done with portraying these characters.This sense of realism of the film was also created by the frequently use handheld camera which makes the audience feel like were there spectating on the unfolding events and following the drama as it happens in real time.

The other predominant element in this film is the acting. Keith Stanfield and Kaitlyn Dever were incredible as the their teenage roles showing and most of the emotional scenes in this film came from their performances however Brie Larsson stole the show. This film was her breakthrough film and there is no surprise that this feature got her noticed, in which she recently won an Oscar for her role in Room (2016). Her incredibly realistic representation of this character was sensational, showing effectively her psychological trouble that has controlled her life from the past to showing heart warming emotion in her connections with the kids showing great chemistry with each member of the acting cast.

Despite only ever watching this film once, this film has truly had an impact on me this film and I would highly recommend people to watch this indie gem.

Pros:
Emotional storyline and script
Characterisation
Acting (In particular Brie Larsson)
Directing

Cons:
N/A

Rating: A

Locke (2013)

Locke (2013) 

Directed by: Steven Knight
Starring: Tom Hardy
Certificate: 15
Genre: Drama

A film which captures an hour and twenty-five minutes of a car journey in which Tom Hardy's character, Ivan Locke, a construction site manager, faces a battle with his conscious after making decisions which will heavily impact his life as he knows it.

After watching this film, the most notable point to make is the success of how the film was put together and filmed. About 98% of the film was shot in just the main characters car using different angles and ranges of shots from the exterior and interior. Much like 12 Angry Men in the aspect of the restricted location of filming, this whole film focuses on the character development and progress of Ivan Locke who gradually has his normal life destroyed from start to finish of the car journey, as each phone call he receives and makes, furthers the characters anger and regret.

Tom Hardy, has one of his most underrated performances capturing the emotions of this character following some excellent script writing which had me hooked from start to finish. The editing and direction of this film was also to a very high standard as it was pieced together perfectly and the characterisation of Ivan was almost realistic and portrayed so well and feels as if we, the audience, are looking into an account of a real persons private problems. The incidental music throughout the film maintained an eerie and tense atmosphere to the car journey in between each phone call.

The only downsides I could pick from this film were just minor flaws. After watching the film I felt like there was very little re-watch ability, I would recommend somebody else to watch it but for me I couldn't sit down again and have that same engaged feeling I did in the first viewing. The ending as well, I thought, was a little empty, I'm not one for having entire closure at the end of films but the last scene left me a bit unfulfilled, however I shall not spoil what happens.

Rating: B-

Pros:

Tom Hardy's performance as Ivan Locke
Character Development
Script

Cons:

Little Re-watch ability
Ending