CineMartinez

Date of release - 17 December 2009 Director - Tom Ford Actors and Roles - George (Colin Firth), Charley (Julianne Moore), Kenny (Nicholas Hoult), Jim (Matthew Goode) Nation of Production - USA Budget - $7 million Revenue - $25 million (box office)

Synopsis

In 1962, Los Angeles, George Falconer (Colin Firth) has a nightmare of his partner Jim (Matthew Goode), dead, underneath a car wreck in a snow storm. He awakens abruptly and recalls that his partner is missing from his side because he did die in a car crash 8 months prior. A voiceover acknowledges his depression over the events.  His sadness becomes so great that he looks to commit suicide at the end of the day.

As he goes about his day his friend Charley (Julianne Moore) calls to confirm their plans for the evening. To get her off the phone, he agrees to show up. He heads to work and starts noticing the beauty in the smallest things.

Various flashbacks reveal the extent of Jim's relationship with George. They had been together 16 years before his passing, and Jim's family wasn't accepting of their partnership.

At school he encounters a student named Kenny who takes interest in George, inviting him for drinks later that night. George ambiguously leaves the conversation and meets up with Charley. Initially they share a night as friends but George becomes angered when Charley makes her confusion over Jim and George's relationship known.

George goes to a bar and meets with Kenny who followed him there. They drink themselves to a stupor and go skinny dipping. The night ends at George's home where the pair continue to drink. George passes out and wakes up alone in his bed, with Kenny sleeping in another room. He sees that Kenny took his gun to prevent him from committing suicide. Afterwards, George burns his suicide note, reconsidering his choice to take his life. He locks his gun away, at peace with his decision. As he's walking to his bed he dies of a heart attack while having a vision of Jim kiss him goodbye.

Commentary

A Single Man is a character study that explores the life of a deeply depressed man. The story is told linearly, in the span of a day, with occasional flashbacks, revealing the root of his depression. Voiceovers, from the perspective of the protagonist, also encompass a huge part of the movie.

The main character in A Single Man isn't the typical leading man, in fact, he varies in a number of ways. George is a gay man residing in Los Angeles in 1962. Living in such a socially conservative time, proves to be of no immediate concern to his character. George makes no attempt to hide his sexuality as many individuals did in a homophobic society.

Through cinematography, we become intimately exposed to George's life and that creates genuine intrigue for his character. The vulnerability of the shots create this intimacy.

The premise of A Single Man is highlighted by the loss of George's partner, Jim, due to a tragic car accident. After this, he subsequently enters a depressive state. Nightmares of that night haunt his mind, even though he wasn't present at the time of the crash. These visions could be a manifestation of guilt. He witnesses the aftermath of the accident, unharmed, and helplessly lies beside Jim's bloody corpse, staring into lifeless eyes.

In the first 10 minutes of the film, we see George performing regular morning tasks while he narrates and gives insight as to how monotonous he finds life to be without his lover.  

Fast cuts, jump cuts and close-ups emphasize the robotic way in which he goes about his day.

With cinematic language the director is showing us that this man is an empty shell. George’s joy has been taken from him, and he views life now as an obligation, rather than a privilege. At the end of his routine, he looks in the mirror and motivates himself to live on in a morbid fashion.

This line is the first we hear from George in real time. Everything before that point had been narrated poetically. It is meaningful because it shows us a stark contrast between how the omniscient George speaks to an audience and how he speaks to himself. In this instance, George hates what he sees in the mirror. The self-loathement is felt powerfully because of Colin Firth’s subtle acting. The voice is completely unlike the romanticized one heard during the voiceover. Colin deliberately adds moodiness to his intonation and drags the sentence, in the same way his character is slugging through life. He speaks one word at a time, lives one day after another.

  That morning, George the narrator reveals he will commit suicide. We see him opening up his desk and packing up a gun into his suitcase, confirming this intention. From that moment on, the audience is put on edge, wondering if he'll go through with it.

Being as he is an English professor, literature takes on a significant role in the movie. In the image above, to the right of the screen, the popular novel "After Many a Summer" authored by Aldous Huxley, sits. The themes of the book are similar to that which are overtaking George's life. It deals with a man who fears for his impending death. Ironically enough, in this instance, George is preparing for his certain death. The positioning of this book is deliberate to contrast two distinct point of views.

This novel becomes relevant again in George's classroom. As it turns out, it was required reading for his students. In class he discusses the title of the book and its significance. Albeit his own idealistic convictions and personal interpretation, as it pertains to his depression, make way into his teachings.

During this scene we see shots of George imagining himself drowning that parallel the movies opening montage. The scene in the classroom has a warm filter as opposed to the title credit's blue tint. The day's events have shone a small bit of light into George's never-ending abyss.

Often times depression has been allegorically compared to that same helpless feeling of being trapped in a body of water while your own body, moves in slow motion, trying to survive.

A Single Man's score is an orchestra of violin, sometimes intensifying, other times subdued, depending on George's particular mood. The music is an important piece as it allows the viewer to relate to George that much more.

Supplementing the theme of death, is a theme of time, irrevocably tied to life's finiteness. We see several shots of clocks, representing the acute acknowledgment George has over his impending death. The camera is aware of the clock in a series of close-ups to emphasize that George is listening to the seconds click away.

However, the decision to take his life isn't one he's making lightly, as we see him, in a medium long shot, staring upwards at the time, struggling with the implications of giving in to his mortality.

The critical scene in the movie is a flashback to the night George first finds out about Jim's accident. This moment is the biggest reason for George's present emotional state. Not only do we see his immediate reaction to the news, but we learn more about the couple's back story as it pertains to Jim's family. The news of Jim's death is divulged by a cousin, who also lets George know that he'll be denied admittance to the service. Greater sadness befalls him as he realizes he won't be able to say his final goodbyes to Jim. (The nightmare scene in the beginning starts to make more sense, as it ends with a kiss. Symbolically, this could be George's mind's attempt at some semblance of closure.)

The camerawork in this scene accentuates Colin Firth's brilliant performance. As George processes the news the camera slowly zooms into George, never cutting, entirely in focus as his eyes gloss up with realization. His entire world is closing in on him and the framing makes sure it delivers the same claustrophobic feeling to the audience. George, a man of many words, delivers them in brief sentences.

Although deceased, Jim’s presence isn’t entirely absent from George’s life. Throughout the movie there are short periods of remembrance, where a particular glance takes him to a time where Jim was alive; a fleeting moment of nostalgia.

These scenes reveal a lot in terms of what emotions George is experiencing. When he imagines his past with Jim, the colors on screen explode with vibrancy. The long shot positioned directly after he sees Jim is purposefully baron. Mise-en-scene echoes the impossible distance between the two. The realistic reflection of his backyard on the glass confirms that Jim is only alive in George's memory.  Without Jim, his world remains a dull, murky wasteland.

This sudden splash of color, however, isn't unique to Jim. As the story moves forward color is used as a cinematic tool to highlight the things George finds to be beautiful.

Color is vitality in this movie. Every moment that seamlessly transitions into saturated pigments, gives George one more reason to live.

There comes a point wherein he is touched by the color, and his face and background match that of those he is looking at.

This movie has great character development. As mentioned initially, it is a character study and so a drastic change occurs in George's state of mind. During the day he spends time with eclectic people including his good friend, Charley and a bubbly student turned sexual partner, Kenny. The cloud of sadness that envelops him in the beginning starts to dissipate as he finds reasons to live. Sadly, after George decides he wants to keep on living, his heart gives out. A Single Man ends as somber as it begins. George's initial mantra about impending death has ironically presented itself, just as he found peace.

"I always used to tell him that only fools could possibly escape the simple truth that now isn't simply now: it's a cold reminder. One day later than yesterday, one year later than last year, and that sooner or later it will come."

The movie's final line ties in this theme explicitly.

The final shots also relate to the opening scene of the movie. They mirror George's position as he wakes from the nightmare almost exactly. The difference is that in the first instant, George welcomed death. In this last scene George tried to fight it but ultimately succumbed.

Date of release - 1 October 2010 Director - Rodrigo Cortes Actors and Roles - Paul Conroy (Ryan Reynolds) Nation of Production - Spain Budget - $3 million Revenue - $89.3 million

Synopsis

Paul (Ryan Reynolds) is an American truck driver working in Iraq. A group of Iraq terrorists attack him and bury him alive. Their conditions for his release are set at $5 million. Paul uses all the available items he has at his disposable to contact the U.S. When he finally manages to get in touch, they tell him that they won't pay that amount, but they'll help find him. As Paul's entrapment elongates in duration, he starts to lose hope. He calls his family and somberly says goodbye, sure that he will not manage to escape the coffin in time. The movie ends as another coffin victim is dug up, Paul realizes he will not be saved, and he suffocates on the incoming sand pouring in through the cracks.

Commentary

Buried is a unique film in that its entire running time takes place in one location. Perhaps that sentence alone isn't of any shock, movies tend to be set in one country. But this particular location is much more diminutive than that. Actually, it's as diminutive as things can get. Paul, the main character, spends the entire film trapped in a wooden coffin, unaware of how he got there.

The basic premise of Buried is considered among one of the most fearful situations a human can find themselves in. But still, the director had to translate that dreadful situation over to the screen. If we couldn't actually feel as if we were buried alive with Paul, the uniqueness of the story would have lost much of its purpose.

With minimal mise-en-scene to work with, it's remarkable that Buried manages to captivate the viewer throughout. It delivers a pack of thrill and paralyzing anxiety through the use of:

Props

Dialogue

Lighting (Shadows)

Sound

Acting

These elements were carefully arranged being as they were the only tools available for use in Rodrigo Cortes' cinematic arsenal.

The above techniques were packaged in extraordinary tight shots, suffocating the viewer. We see extreme close-ups of Paul from various angles: profile, bird's eye, looking up from his feet, looking down from his head.

Date of release - 3 May 1999 Director - Roger Michell Actors and Roles - Anna Scott (Julia Roberts), William Thacker (Hugh Grant), Bernie (Hugh Bonneville) Nation of Production - United Kingdom Budget - $43 million Revenue - $364 million

Synopsis

A famous movie star, Anna Scott (Julia Roberts), falls in love with ordinary book shop keeper, William (Hugh Grant). The conflict of the story arises as they try to overcome the consequences of sharing two very different lives. In the end, William decides to trust his heart, contrary to the inclinations of his level-headed mind.

Commentary

Notting Hill is a romantic comedy that meshes a surrealistic story with realistic elements.

The touch of realism stems from its characters. William, the male lead, is a kind book shop keeper, living in Notting Hill, London. William's friends and family are similarly characterized as being down-to-earth people with idiosyncrasies that are congruent in personality traits found in our non-fictional world.

Surrealism enters the story as William becomes the center of a serendipitous moment. One normal morning, while attending to his book shop, he encounters world famous actress, Anna Scott. As she enters the book shop, the camera employs a deep focus effect where we view William's profile in the foreground, with Anna blurred in the background. This evokes a dreamlike effect, as if Anna were a mirage, rather than a true presence.

Anna's Scott's star power is qualitatively demonstrated in the beginning of the film through a collection of hand-held paparazzi footage of red carpet events she's attended, as well as, behind the scenes video of films starred in. Their sequential nature and accompanying music creates a montage of Anna's life as a movie star.

There is a sadness in her face as the montage reaches its end. As a viewer, we sense that she may be unhappy with the fame she's been afforded.

The medium long shot with the paparazzi in the background overtaking the frame, and consequently Anna, delivers a final look at the gargantuan nature of her celebrity status.

It is for this same reason that when William, an ordinary book keeper, encounters Anna Scott, the awkward conversation initiated and rambling speech has credibility and verisimilitude.

Anna's intrigue for William goes beyond appreciation for his nervous wit. William treats her as he would any customer, something Anna is most likely unaccustomed to given her prestige. There's a moment when a man at the shop (caught stealing earlier) interrupts their transaction to ask for an autograph as William stares in disbelief.

That is not to say William is immune to Anna's charms. When she leaves the shop he longingly stares outside, trying to figure out if that moment was a complete fabrication of his mind.

As fate is a typical plot point in romantic movies, William and Anna bump into each other moments later.

An apologetic William invites her over to his house. It takes convincing, but she agrees, having sensed that William means no harm and isn't trying to take advantage of the situation.

The trip home ends in a kiss, which Anna initiates.

William's genuineness and kind nature appealed to Anna who was so used to living in a world surrounded by superficiality. The romantic story intensifies as Anna meets William's family. There, she develops stronger feelings for William as the family environment seems to bring her joy. Anna's life has revolved around pretenses and for a moment she immersed herself in happiness, knowing that she was an equal at the dinner table.

Trials and tribulations relating back to her fame lead to a culmination of problems between the pair. The conflict continues with a declaration of love by Anna at the book shop where they first met.

William denies her requests to continue seeing each other but as most romance movies go, he has a change of heart and attempts to mend their relationship. The happily ever after comes, as the end ties to the beginning. Anna remains a movie star, but now she has love by her side.

Date of release - 7 June 2013 (USA) Director - James DeMonaco Actors and Roles - James (Ethan Hawke), Mary (Lena Headey), Zoe (Adelaide Kane), Charlie (Max Burkholder) Nation of Production - USA Budget - $3 million Revenue - $89.3 million

Synopsis

It's the day of the annual Purge, a national day ordained by the government to be free from any police order and law, allowing criminal activity to go unpunished. The purpose behind this designated day is to allow for people to get rid of their pent up rage, decreasing violent activity on all other days of the year. The Sandin family, James (Ethan Hawke), Mary (Lena Headey), Zoe (Adelaide Kane) and Charlie (Max Burkholder), have lived comfortably on this night as they have high-tech security that protects them from any violent encounters. On this particular Purge, the son, lets in a man who was being chased by a violent hate group persecuting him for his social status. The gang learns that the family is  harboring the victim, so they penetrate their security system, and attack the members of the family enacting the Purge on them.

Commentary

The Purge is an interesting concept, in theory, but the characterization and lack of credible storytelling failed to execute the most interesting aspects of its intended premise.

When the reasons for the "purge" are addressed, it feels forced and out of place. The first example of this is when Mary hears a scientist explaining the psychological basis for the purge on TV.

In that moment I felt removed from the story because it was as if someone was reading me a synopsis. Exposition is important to movies, it helps the viewer follow along, but when staged so conveniently, as it was in this moment, it breaks the fourth wall, so to speak, and affects the verisimilitude of the movie. Perhaps a cleverly constructed commercial, created by the government, showing us a montage of why the purge is necessary, would have come across less disingenuous than one solitary scientist speaking to the audience.

Aside from poorly developed exposition, The Purge's characters were overwhelmingly one-dimensional. When a movie's characters are so flat, as I feel they were in The Purge, I start focusing externally at their perceived reality (the world in which they live in) and recognize its flaws because the characters themselves are not enough to sustain me. The family dynamic seemed too surrealistic, as if they were extracted straight from pleasantville. I found myself unable to sympathize with any of them. The family dinner, set right before the purge commences, was too detached.

Instead of making me connect with the family, I felt as if they were just a bunch of strangers who happened to know each others names. This detachment further presents itself when Zoe flees with her potentially dangerous boyfriend. The father and mother's first instinct isn't to protect their daughter, they seem unaffected by the whole incident. They yell out for her for a second, but immediately change the conversation.

Given that none of the characters were compelling enough to keep me interested, I decided to focus on plot. Weak points in the plot became easy to spot because of this. Questions about when the purge first started and by who(m) began to take over my thoughts. How did something so gruesomely unethical become legal in the United States? Who are the founding fathers the narrative mentions?

Date of release - 23 August 2013 (USA) Director - Adam Wingard Actors and Roles - Erin (Sharni Vinson), Felix (Nicholas Tucci), Zee (Wendy Glenn), Crispian  (Aj Bowen), Drake (Joe Swanberg) Nation of Production - USA Budget - $1 Million Revenue - $25 Million worldwide

Synopsis A family reunion turns tragic when a gang of masked intruders gruesomely murder the guests one by one. One of the invitees ends up being able to hold her own in the face of great tragedy. Erin (Sharni Vinson) uses her skills from survivalist camp to endure all the atrocities being committed, eventually coming out on top. Commentary You’re Next merges two distinct genres, Comedy and Horror, and interestingly enough, still manages to keep its relate-ability. It uses humor as an ironic tool rather than a trivialization of death. In a way, this intensifies the wretchedness of the situation. Just like any average person would feel in an incident involving a home invasion, the audience feels helpless. You’re Next grants the audience an unexpected hero, one that has no immediate relation to the family allowing the viewer to better sympathize. An external source ends up sabotaging the cruel intentions of a money-hungry group of siblings and at the same time protecting the sanctity of their “home”. While all of the house’s initial residents perished, it remains uncorrupted as a symbol that the villains did not achieve what they desired. Overall, the movie explores the unforgiving effects of unadulterated greed. Erin, as our surviving protagonist, delivered the consequence by using their own devices against them. 

Date of release - 13 September 2013 (USA) Director - Lake Bell Actors and Roles - Carol (Lake Bell), Sam (Fred Melamed), Gustav (Ken Marino), Moe (Rob Corrdry), Louis (Demetri Martin), Dani (Michaela Watkins) Nation of Production - USA Budget - Less than 1 Million Revenue - 2.9 Million (Box Office)

Synopsis

After the famous voice actor who coined "In a World" dies, Hollywood is left searching for someone to fill his shoes. Carol (Lake Bell), a struggling voice actor, sets out to fill that void. Her father (Fred Melamed) and his coworker (Ken Marino) become her top competitors, both of whom are already prestigious men in the industry. Carol is at a disadvantage, but determined to make her way to the top. A new film series, The Amazon Games, is looking for a voice to be featured in the trailer. In the absence of Gustav and Sam, Carol is offered an opportunity to do temporary work for the trailer. Impressed by her voice, the executive producer grants Carol the part. Meanwhile, Gustav and Sam are unaware of the fact that Carol landed the role. Instead, they focus their energies on being outraged over a woman being cast.

Carol's sister, Dani, works as a concierge at a popular hotel. Because many foreign visitors frequent the hotel, Carol has made it a habit to record the guests and their accents to use for her vocal training. Her ongoing antics has given her a bad rapport with the manager, leading to her banishment from the premises. Carol then tasks Dani with recording a flirtatious Irishman for her accent archives.

Gustav throws a party at his mansion. Carol, Sam and his girlfriend all attend. Unknowingly, Gustav flirts and sleeps with Carol. On the same night, Dani stays at work late, breaking plans with her husband, Moe (Rob Corrdry). As he waits for Dani to return home, he listens to the recording of the Irishman. He's surprised by Dani's declaration of singleness on the tape and walks out on her as soon as she tries to explain herself.

Gustav and Sam converse about the party and the woman he spent the night with. He learns she is the woman being considered for the voice over job and is, from there on, intent on pursuing her, still ignorant as to who she actually is.

Later, Sam and his girlfriend host a meal. The actual identity of the girl Gustav slept with is revealed. Sam reacts negatively causing Carol to leave. Sam selfishly vows to compete for the job even though his daughter has a high chance of receiving it.

Dani helps her sister win Moe back by secretly recording her true feelings and divulging these sentiments to Moe.

As the competition stiffens, Carol decides to give up, but Louis (Demetri Martin) motivates her to continue. They work together to produce the audition recording. The night culminates as they share their requited feelings.

Still angry at her father, Carol tries to blow off an event being hosted in his honor. Moe convinces both sisters to show up. There, the trailer for The Amazon Games is revealed complete with Carol's voice signaling that she got the job. Carol is thrilled, but her father storms the room. He reconsiders his position after Jamie the girlfriend talks to him. Soon after he accepts a lifetime achievenment award and dedicates it to his daughters.

Later, Carol is seen continuing her career as a vocal coach. Her goal is to help women rid themselves of the "sexy baby" voice to be taken more seriously.

Commentary

The coloring and lighting of the film takes on a significant role in the story. A light sepia filter is used throughout. This choice can be attributed to the protagonist's unfulfilled status. She doesn't view the world through clear eyes, the colors are faded, her perception is murky, stained with the harsh realities of life. Her outfits match this mindset, she often wears over-sized, disheveled clothing.

The movie isn't entirely drained, when Carol is doing voice overs the colors are saturated. She wears a signature green sweater. Green, as is seen in nature, commonly symbolizes life. This contrast is further evidence that the previous colorization is directly associated with Carol's mood. When she's doing what she loves, the filter dissolves, her appearance changes, we are left with crisp vibrant colors and a costume that emits vitality.

The narrative of "In A World" delivers a largely feminist message. At it's core it is a satirical movie, meaning, comedy is used as a tool to expose and ridicule sexism prevalent in the film industry. The movie focuses on voice actors and uses the theme of voice to parallel the social and cultural dehumanization of women as it pertains to, arguably the most important aspect of a human being, their voice. And not just voice in the sense of the sound that vocal chords help create, but the acknowledgment that a woman's thoughts, ideas, and words carry as much weight as a man's. Essentially, inclusion in the world. Women have a history of being socialized to become smaller, as to make room for men. Examples include: corsets, sitting posture and weight, to name a few. Similarly, the protagonist is discouraged when she decides she wants to try voice acting.

The field she's entering, like most film associated careers, is almost exclusively dominated by men. Right from the start, the protagonist's father explicitly makes her aware, but words it arrogantly. The hand gesture evokes an aggressive vibe, as if his words are final and shouldn't be questioned.

He turns away when Carol speaks. Commentary on the aforementioned outright dismissal of a female voice.

It cuts to a wide shot, exposing both subjects, emphasizing the supposed separation between the sexes. The father's reaction is an all too common argument in regards to mysoginistic trends. As if socially learned behavior doesn't play a role in constructing our society. The so called "truth" that the industry doesn't crave a female sound is arrived at through illogical means. A sort of self-fulfilling prophecy. The people in power reflect their sexist opinions onto the public, the public consumes it, and it's labeled as public demand. What it truly is is a completely fabricated illusion.

These same men in power make it difficult for women to establish space within the industry. However, intent on proving her worth, Carol tries to overcome this discrimination and succeeds.

Figuratively and literally, she is fighting for a voice in the perversely sexist field of voice acting. Carol not only challenges men, her character calls out the women in society who deliberately alter their voice, infantilize it, becoming a representation of submissiveness.

This phenomenon of "dumbing yourself down" or silencing your opinion is perpetuated by pop culture. Reality shows, beauty ads and magazines are specifically geared towards women and are often saturated with mundane subject matter involving how to be physically "perfect". When women participate in intellectual discourse, they are muted.

By the end of the movie, Carol is a successful vocal coach leading a seminar for a roomful of women.

"The Vocal Make-Over" strives to help intelligent, collegiate women struggling to find jobs. Her focus, like the entirety of the movie, is placed on the importance of being heard. The last shots are close-ups of the protagonist, to emphasize the dialogue. The seriousness in her words and expression are further accentuated by the empty background. The thesis of the movie is being spoken and so the cinematography does everything to capitalize on its pertinence.

Date of release - 23 August 2013 (USA) Director - Destin Daniel Cretton Actors and Roles - Grace (Brie Larson), Mason (John Gallagher Jr.), Nate (Rami Malek), Jessica (Stephanie Beatriz), Marcus (Keith Stanfield), Jayden (Kaitlyn Dever), Luis (Kevin Hernandez), Sammy (Alex Calloway) Nation of Production - USA Budget - Less than $1 Million Revenue - $1.6 Million Box Office

Synopsis

It's Nate's first day as a staff member at Short Term 12, a group home for troubled teenagers. Within the first few minutes he experiences a typical occurrence involving a kid trying to escape the confinements of the home. Counselors Grace, Mason and Jessica share anecdotes of past events to ease him into his duties.

Grace is the most accomplished counselor at the home. She supervises and monitors all the activities at Short Term 12. Grace lives with Mason, her coworker and boyfriend. Grace's tenure at the home has allowed her to develop a close bond with many of the teens, specifically Marcus. Grace and Mason work together to console Marcus who is turning 18, and as decided by the state, is required to leave the home. Marcus is dreading being released for fear of ending up with his abusive mother.

While balancing her work and personal life, Grace visits a clinic to confirm that she's pregnant. The test results are positive, prompting her to schedule an abortion. Eventually, Grace reassesses the pregnancy and decides to tell Mason, the father.  Mason is initially shocked by the news, but he comforts Grace and affirms that they're going to be amazing parents.

Jayden is a recent arrival at Short Term 12. Grace immediately forms a connection with Jayden despite her abrasive and passive aggressive attitude. Jayden acts similarly towards her peers at the home, reminding them that she's a temporary visitor. On Jayden's birthday, her dad doesn't show up resulting in a major outburst. Grace manages to talk her down. Later, they spend some time in the "cool down" room. There Grace shares her injuries due to self-mutilation. Jayden seems to have settled down, but after birthday celebrations finalize, she leaves the group home. Grace follows her all the way to her dad's home, where he is nowhere to be found.  Later that night, Jayden reads Grace a story she's written. Grace comes to the realization that Jayden's father is abusive and intently works to remove Jayden from his care.

Mason's foster parents host a party. Surrounded by all his foster siblings, he proposes to Grace and she accepts. The morning after the pair are awoken by news that Grace's dad is being released from prison. Her past quickly merges with her present, resulting in an emotionally distressed Grace. Mason tries to console her but Grace isolates herself.

At work that morning Grace learns that Jayden was taken by her father. She barges into her boss's room, wondering how they could be so careless. The day's events grow gloomier when she finds Marcus has attempted suicide after the death of his fish.

While waiting at the hospital to hear about Marcus, Grace breaks down. Mason, again, tries to get her to open up, but Grace responds by fleeing. She returns to Jayden's father's home. There, Jayden stops Grace before she injures her dad while he sleeps. They opt to destroy his car instead.

Grace divulges that she was sexually abused by her father. Jayden reveals her bruises and officially reports her dad for physical abuse. Grace goes home and apologizes to Mason. On the same note he confirms that Marcus will recover.

Weeks later, the counselors are all in good spirits, huddled around the front of Short Term 12. Grace is seeing a therapist. Mason tells the staff that Marcus has a girlfriend and is doing well.

Commentary

On a social level, Short Term 12 is a movie about the displaced kids in Western culture who are trivialized, treated as mere statistics and often times, as a result, marginalized. It delves into their stories, particularly the way in which growing up surrounded by instability and abuse shapes their more mature lives. The primary story is told from the perspective of Grace, a young woman, fastidiously taking care of foster kids, in an attempt to forget about her own demons.

Grace's dedication to her work is apparent from beginning to end. In fact, her meticulous involvement is the reason why a viewer senses that Grace relates to these kids on a deeper level.

There is a shot of Grace in her office in front of a whiteboard that features the names of all the kids in her care along with their corresponding feeling levels and daily schedules. The chart is multicolored and detailed demonstrating the constant effort she takes to update it.

The joint group scenes reinforce her as an authoritative figure whom the teens respect. Grace doesn't treat them as the menaces to society they've been written off as, instead she's playful and loving, ultimately garnering their trust.

Despite being proactive in the lives of these teens, Grace is quiet and introverted. Throughout the movie there are several shots of Grace messing with her thumb. As the story progresses, this mannerism can be construed as a nervous reactionary twitch towards events that hit close to home.

It also resembles a coping mechanism. Grace reveals that she has self-mutilated in the past. Picking at the thumb is a less severe form of mutilation. As she's aged, she may have developed behavioral changes that allow her to cope with disturbing thoughts while inflicting minimal damage to her body.

Grace's past demons manifest gradually within the narrative. After an unwanted pregnancy, she quietly visits a clinic to schedule an abortion. Her immediate desire to abort speaks to a number of things, principally, an inherent belief that she isn't fit to be a parent. Given her clear passions for dealing with kids, this reaction towards being a mother would have come to fruition as a result of a deeply traumatic event. The nurse responsible for delivering the results further proves this emotional trauma when she inquires if Grace has been pregnant in the past. Grace answers to the affirmative, reservedly and uncomfortable. With this, the first sign that she may have been sexually abused, presents itself.

The pregnancy news seems to trigger a whirlwind of bad memories for Grace. From that moment on, a series of minor incidents eventually lead her to divulge the truth about her past.

Jayden, a 15 year old girl, new to the home, was the secondary catalyst that sparked the emotional reaction. Right from the beginning, it is apparent that Grace relates to Jayden. There's a push and pull dynamic between them, consistent in characters with similar personalities. Grace has prior knowledge about Jayden's hard-to-handle behavior but that doesn't intimidate her. Instead, she tries to connect with Jayden and show her kindness, something she's probably unaccustomed to.

Initially, Grace's reasons for the preoccupation over Jayden was unbeknownst to the audience as well as Grace, herself. She wasn't consciously aware that Jayden had troubles with abuse, as that information had yet to be revealed. But, on a subconscious level, Grace recognized the warning signs and tried to befriend Jayden.

We later learn, that Jayden's dad mistreats her. This infuriates Grace, more so than her own boss. Further evidence that Grace has been abused comes to light. This time, the traumatic events can be affiliated directly to her own father. 

Grace's issues culminate when Jayden's life is endangered. Upon hearing that Jayden was sent back to her father Grace rushes for her aid. They make amends and in an honest reveal, Grace tells Jayden that she was sexually abused by her own father. Now sympathizing with Grace on a deeper lever, Jayden tells Grace the one thing she needed to hear:

With all their shared similarities, it was as if Grace's younger self was speaking directly to her, telling her it's okay to move on with life. In that moment, Grace's expression is one of enlightenment.

Jayden, the young girl she rescued from continued abuse, has in turn enabled Grace to take a positive step towards her own recovery.

Marcus is another teen focused on in Short Term 12. He is turning 18, the legal adult age, but in so many ways he's still a scared boy because his childhood was stolen from him by his abusive mother.

The scars of that trauma are internalized deeply and have resulted in aggressive behavior. He is non-confrontational, until tested. When his past is brought up or used to mock him he takes immediate offense and reacts. Such was the case during a scene in the beginning of the film where a new member, Nate, introduces himself and unintentionally refers to the kids as "underprivileged". Marcus, initially quiet, lashes out and reprimands Nate for being so careless with his words.

In this one moment Marcus's insecurities are brought to the forefront and his reaction signifies just how much his past affects his present.

This is not the only moment Marcus displays anger. He is often teased by a younger colleague, Luis. It's comparable to sibling rivalry, but things get violent when Luis brings up Marcus's mother. This pattern of behavior when reminded of his past, continues.

Marcus has a delicate side to him. This characteristic is most exemplified in the scenes where he's seen feeding his pet fish.

This type of contrast is true for most characters in the story. Their inner chaos is offset by a zen activity. It's their way of finding peace in their often unbearable mind.

Grace and Jayden draw;

Sammy has dolls;

and Luis creates collages of his many families.

These hobbies symbolize home. They can focus all their energy on the activities knowing with certainty that it can't be taken away or displaced. It can't abandon or abuse them. Not like a mother, father or sibling. They're simple relics and talents that can be used anywhere in order to feel less alone.

The acting in Short Term 12 pays special emphasis to realism. Character dialogue is naturalistic and logical in regards to the contemporary environment in which the story unfolds. Quiet looks and hyper-active hand gestures comprise a great majority of the shots. This deliberate technique subtly expresses the pain felt by the characters within the story.

Brie Larson employs this tactic and excels as the lead. She manages to astutely portray Grace as a deeply damaged individual through more than just dialogue.

Larson affords the character of Grace a disheveled walk, a downward gaze and a hunched and defeated demeanor, all features belonging to victims of abuse. She is honest with her portrayal, and as such, humanizes the character. In doing so she offers some semblance of what it's like to live an unbalanced life marked by tragedy.

Words are often hard to come by and cannot quite convey what an abused individual has endured. A person's deadening stare paired with glossy eyes speaks volumes. As Marcus recites in his rap:

In a way, this verse describes the entire narrative of Short Term 12. A short, but precise, look into the lives of abandoned children.