Category Archives: Drama
Drama
Flash Movie Review: A Million Miles Away
AT THE SAME TIME, I WAS getting certified to teach aerobics, there was a guy going through the process. Back then in the aerobic world, men were in the minority. Before the session started, he and I struck up a conversation. He told me he planned on flying through the testing so he could start teaching immediately at one of the most exclusive health clubs in the city. I congratulated him, though I was thinking he could be setting himself up for a big disappointment. The reason I felt this was because in one of our earlier sessions, I saw him struggling with one of the exercises we were practicing. I asked him how long he had been taking aerobic classes and he said he only had participated in a few classes. It took everything I had to keep the expression on my face from turning into a look of shock. I was curious, so asked him what motivated him to become a fitness instructor. He said he saw a movie a few years prior, where some of the scenes were held in a fitness studio, and he decided that was what he wanted to do. He thought about it all the time, he said. When I asked him why he thought he would quickly get through the testing process, he said it was because he was always good in gym. I, ON THE OTHER HAND, WAS nervous about the testing process because I had difficulty coming up with spontaneous moves. I knew myself well enough where I had to plan out every move, I was going to teach the class. After consistently being a participant in aerobic classes for a few years, I decided being a fitness instructor would be something I would enjoy doing. It would not only be a source of income, but it would also keep me on track from putting on any weight. The workbook that I received in the mail prior to the certification date was worn and dogeared in several places where I had to go over the information a few times before I felt comfortable understanding it. The facilitator walked into the conference room; the two of us stopped talking. We were each going to take a turn to teach everyone in the room an aerobic routine for five to six minutes. I struggled when the guy next to me was taking his turn; I was not the only one. He had a hard time staying on the beat of the music, which kept throwing participants off. Also, he was doing his movements so fast that he never fully extended himself; so, his moves came off looking jerky without purpose. I could only assume he would not get high marks for his presentation. Maybe if he had studied and practiced, he could have done better. Too bad this film was not out back then, because it would have shown him what was needed to achieve a dream. AS A FARM WORKER, ALL JOSE, played by Michael Pena (Fantasy Island, End of Watch), could think about was becoming an astronaut one day. No one really took him seriously. With Rosa Salazar (Maze Runner franchise, Chariot) as Adela, Julio Cesar Cedillo (Cowboys & Aliens, The Harder They Fall) as Salvador, Veronica Falcon (Jungle Cruise, Queen of the South-TV) as Julia and Garret Dillahunt (12 Years a Slave, No Country for Old Men) as Sturckow; this dramatic biography was a real feel-good movie. Inspired by a true story, I thought Michael Pena did a wonderful job as Jose. Also, I thought the chemistry between him and Rosa as Adela was so authentic that it felt like reality. The story is incredible and though there could easily be more layers to the story, I was okay in how the director and writers chose to tell it. I thought the pacing was steady throughout and as the story was unfolding, I found myself rooting more and more for Jose. This movie was in a way a dream come true; I was glad I chose to see it and was rewarded with a wonderful story.
3 ¼ stars
Flash Movie Review: Golda
WHILE EATING BREAKFAST, I WAS LISTENING to the news about the recent passing of a celebrity actress. She starred in a television sitcom back in the 1970s. I knew of her, but never really followed her career. What surprised me about the news was the fact she was fired from the TV show because she demanded equal pay, to match the male star of the show. I was not surprised that she was being paid a lesser amount to her male counterpart; but I was surprised that she got fired because of the request. In this day of age, I could not imagine any company doing such a thing; but who knows, anything I guess is possible, no matter how wrong it may be. The reason I am bringing this up is because near the same time, the early 70s, there was a woman who was the leader of her country. I had to wonder if she was being paid less than any of the men who had been in that same role. If that was the case, then it really was a crime for the powers that be to do that to her, especially since she found herself fighting a war during her years of service. And not that I pay much attention to a person’s looks, but she did not look the part of a leader; she looked more like someone’s grandmother who is constantly trying to give you food whenever you are at her house. I HAVE TO ADMIT I HESITATED to write a review today of this movie because of the current state of world events. I wound up seeing this film the week before war broke out in the middle east. If I had reviewed this film sooner, then I would not have had to deal with the mixed feelings I have at present. But after much thought, I decided to go ahead because the two situations separated by decades seem to be in parallel. It is not my place to pass judgement or to spin my words to paint a better light on a political or religious event; all I wish to do is tell you what I thought about the movie. It is not my job to try and sway your thoughts and beliefs; I only want to provide you with my reaction to a picture without giving away any of the plot. My number one focus is whether the film entertained me. With that being said, let me tell you about this biographical drama. AT 71 YEARS OLD, MOST PEOPLE would be enjoying their retirement. However, for this woman she not only started a new career position, but she also had to do her job during a war. With Helen Mirren (The Duke, Shazam! Fury of the Gods) as Golda Meir, Zed Josef (Breaking Infinity, Milk and Honey: The Movie) as Adam Snir, Claudette Williams (The Colour of Spring, The Sons of Misteltoe) as Golda double, Henry Goldman (Taking Woodstock, The Damned United) as Chairman Agranat and Emma Davies (The People We Love to Hate at the Wedding, Holby City-TV) as Miss Epstein; this film’s top draw was Helen Mirren. I thought she was wonderful in the role. It was unfortunate the script did not support her. I thought it was skimpy on details that would have made this movie more entertaining. There were several good scenes, but I never felt connected to anyone in the cast. It almost seemed as if the writers wanted to give the viewers a quick overview without delving deep into the character and emotions of the individual. I found myself drifting at times as the scenes jumped from intense war strategies to chain smoking and baths. I am afraid this production did not do anything to match the amazing feat this woman endured during her lifetime.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: A Haunting in Venice
THE LAST TIME I VISITED THE city, the museum was closed; so, I was excited that I was finally able to get inside this time. The museum building itself was originally a millionaire’s mansion. But it was nothing like any of the mansions I had seen on walking tours or driving by. This structure had a combination of marble and granite, making it look partially like a Venetian palace from the 15th century. The owner who had this place built was an art collector, philanthropist and patron of the arts. The owner’s intentions were to have their art collection permanently housed and displayed in the house for everyone to come and enjoy them. Upon their death an endowment was created to turn the mansion into a “living” museum. I had heard many things about the place, but I wanted to see it for myself. There was something fascinating about going through someone’s place from a century ago to see how they lived back then, besides seeing how many things they were able to collect in their lifetime. From what I read, artists they were fond of would come and pay a call to them from time to time. And they collected from multiple genres such as paintings, sculptures, textiles, and a variety of historical items. ONCE I WAS ADMITTED INSIDE, I was taken aback by the largeness of the hallways. The walls were stone/brick, and the floors were some types of flagstones or slate. There were two suits of armor positioned across from each other. Further down there was a tapestry hanging on the wall that filled that portion of the wall from the floor to ceiling. It looked ancient to me. I walked into a room that had artwork covering all the walls. Some of the works I was able to recognize the artists, but others I did not have a clue because nothing was labeled. The room must have been used as a sitting room, I am guessing, for visitors who first arrived. There was a sofa lushly upholstered in a thick damask fabric with two heavy chairs on either side. In front of the sofa was a small table that had a vase on it that looked Asian, but again I had no idea if it meant anything. As I made my way through the museum, I appreciated the amount of effort and money it must have taken to acquire such a massive collection. The artworks were beautiful, and I appreciated that the guidebook talked about a few of them for each room; however, there were more times than not, I did not know what I was looking at. It was disappointing. Interestingly, I felt the same way about seeing this murder mystery drama. CONTENT WITH RETIRED LIFE, FORMER DETECTIVE Hercule Poirot, played by Kenneth Branagh (Oppenheimer, My Week with Marilyn), reluctantly agrees to go with a friend to a séance. When one of the guests is found murdered, Detective Poirot has no choice but to find the culprit. With Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once, Gunpowder Milkshake) as Mrs. Reynolds, Jamie Dornan (Belfast, Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar) as Dr. Leslie Ferrier, Tina Fey (Wine Country, Mean Girls) as Ariadne Oliver and relative newcomer Dylan Corbett Bader as Baker; this latest Agatha Christie story from Kenneth was the least interesting of his Christie films for me. The visuals were wonderful, set in Venice; but the script started out slowly and I never felt an emotional connection to any of the characters. They seemed to all be on the same plateau with no difference in feelings. As I said it was disappointing because I respected the cast and knew they could do so much more with their characters. Another thing, I was not fond of some of the camera shoots with their close-ups and shadows. They seemed to have been put in for effect that fell flat. Having recently been in Italy, I loved all the scenery filmed for this story; but I just felt empty by the end of the movie.
2 stars
Flash Movie Trailer: Till
WHEN I WAS A SMALL BOY, I hated a bunch of things. Granted, most of them were food based. I hated tuna, broccoli, peas, grapefruit, and the school crossing guard who used to make fun of me. Back then the word “hate” was my go-to word; I did not fully comprehend how strong of a word was “hate.” It was nothing for two friends or neighborhood kids to tell the other they hated them for something they did or did not do. Whenever in a conversation with my friends about students in our classes or in school, it was not unusual for me to share my hatred of the students who wronged me in some way. My method of dealing with kids who I hated was to maintain my distance from them. I figured the less they saw of me the better off I would be. To be invisible, I had to make sure I never drew attention to myself; whether laughing or talking too loudly or spending too much time at my locker talking to a friend. The key was to keep moving with the flow of kids as much as possible. And the most important thing I had to make sure I was doing was to go right home from school, to never linger outside of the school’s exits in case a bully or antagonist was leaving the same time as me. THANKFULLY, THE SCHOOLS I ATTENDED DID an excellent job of teaching me all the aspects of “hate” and how strong of a word it could be. We saw and read examples of hatred, with the books we read, the movies we watched and the archived newspaper articles we viewed on microfilm. Seeing what humans did to other humans was frightening. Whether it was during a war or from a group or individual, I found all of it so disturbing and appalling that I realized I was using the word “hate” incorrectly. It became my goal to never or rarely use the word “hate” when I was saying or describing something to someone. To be honest with you, this promise was a challenge because I experienced forms of hatred early on in my schooling. Encountering people who hate you without even knowing or talking to you was so confusing to me. The trend continued when I finished school and found myself marching for causes that were important to me and witnessed hatred that was near flammable, it was so vile. Some of it was in the same vein as what was shown in this biographical crime drama. THOUGH THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI IS not that far from Chicago, Illinois; back in 1955 they were a world apart. Visiting his cousins in Mississippi required knowing how to act by Mississippi’s standards, something Emmett Till’s, played by Jalyn Hall (Bruiser, The App that Stole Christmas), mother knew all too well which explained her hesitation on letting him go. His trip would facilitate a change throughout the country. With Danielle Deadwyler (The Harder They Fall, The Devil to Pay) as Mamie Till-Mobley, Frankie Faison (Do the Right Thing, I’m Your Woman) as John Carthan, Haley Bennett (The Magnificent Seven, The Girl on the Train) as Carolyn Bryant and Whoopi Goldberg (Sister Act franchise, King of the Dancehall) as Alma Carthan; this film had a strong affect on me. Maybe because we are coming up to the anniversary date of Emmett’s date of death and the government just recently designating a national monument honoring him, I was glued to the story being depicted. Also, Danielle Deadwyler’s acting was outstanding and tragic at the same time, absolutely amazing. It was not easy watching several scenes in this movie; the amount of hate on display was startling and tragic. Everything came together, such as the sets, costumes, and direction to create a beautiful, sad movie about a mother’s worst nightmare.
3 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Oppenheimer
I BARELY UNDERSTOOD WHAT HER BOOK report was about, but I still enjoyed hearing her speak it. She was talking about cross-pollination and plants; I looked at the classmates within my field of vision to see if any of them looked like they understood what she was talking about. It was hard to tell. Some students were looking down at their desks, others were playing with their pens, twirling, or fidgeting with them. When she finished her report, the teacher commended her and said it was highly informative. I wondered, “For who?” I found it funny; because when talking to her, you would not necessarily know how smart she really was. I was friends with her and never felt like she was talking down to me or about topics and things that were complex and mystifying. She was like any of the other students in class. I knew she was a straight “A” student; I could not imagine her getting a lesser grade. Anytime we were together with our group of friends and there was a disagreement between a couple of them, she was the voice of reason. More times than not she was able to negotiate a compromise that both parties agreed to without feeling like they were getting cheated out of something. It was a skill I wished I could do. IT WAS NOT UNTIL I ENTERED the workforce that I discovered some super smart individuals were not nice people. At one of my first jobs, there was a man who claimed he was highly intelligent. I did not know, because he rarely talked to me; but I was able to hear him talking when he was near my area of the warehouse. To tell you the truth, I was glad he rarely spoke to me because he was arrogant with a mix of disdain. The way he would talk to employees was nauseating; talking to some like they were infants in this cloying, sadistic baby voice. If his claim of being so smart was true, then I could never understand why he wound up in sales. Not to say there was anything wrong with sales; but I would have thought he would have done something different for a profession. He may have been the first I encountered in my work history, but he was not the last. I met several people who possessed a high intellect. A few appeared to be on the spectrum; others had no sense of humor. There was a wide variety of individuals and characteristics. I appreciated the ones who could talk about something that I was not familiar with but said it in such a way that made it easier to comprehend. From watching this dramatic biography, I would have been fascinated to listen to what the main character had to say. And it turns out it was a good thing people listened. DURING WORLD WAR II AN AMERICAN scientist was drawn into a secret project that could change the world forever. It was a huge responsibility. With Cillian Murphy (The Delinquent Season, Peaky Blinders-TV) as J. Robert Oppenheimer, Emily Blunt (Jungle Cruise, Mary Poppins Returns) as Kitty Oppenheimer, Matt Damon (Air, Ford v Ferrari) as Leslie Groves, Robert Downey Jr. (Dolittle, Iron Man franchise) as Lewis Strauss and Aiden Ehrenreich (Cocaine Bear, Solo: A Star Wars Story) as Senate Aide; this history driven film started out rough for me. Not being a fan of jumping back and forth in time, the first 30 minutes made me wonder what all the talk was about for this picture. But then, the script kicked into gear and the actors took their characters and soared with them. The acting, the filming, the direction and soundtrack were all outstanding. Knowing nothing about the story except for the main character’s name, I was fascinated with what was being depicted on the big screen. While I sat in the theater, the thought came across me that I was watching a great film. What a monumental moment in history and the director Christopher Nolan captured it perfectly.
3 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Chevalier
ONE OF THE FITNESS CLASSES I taught had a weird dynamic. Well, at least it was weird to me. It was one of my larger classes where the members filled the entire studio. Things have changed but some time ago, aerobic classes were filled predominantly with women; most men felt self-conscious, based on my own personal survey. I would try to coax them in when I was working out on the fitness floor, but they had this unwarranted fear that they would look “stupid” and be looked down upon by the class. The reason why I said this class had a weird dynamic was because it had several men in it. One man was six feet five inches tall, with a massive build; there was no way he could blend into class. I remember the first time he walked into the classroom. Like I did with any new person, I went up to talk to him. The reason he came in was because his wife was a participant in my class and told him he would be surprised by it. What I noticed most when he found a place to stand in class was how the members around him were looking and making eyes at each other. I knew that look; it was because of his size. I was sure they assumed he would not be able to do any of the exercises or moves. Unbeknownst to any of us, his wife gave him some pointers and he did fantastic. At the end of class, drenched in sweat, he came up and thanked me. FROM THAT EXPERIENCE, I REMAINED ATTUNED to watching how participants reacted to new people in class. There was another man who started coming to the same class. From introducing myself to him, I discovered he purposely chose my class to attend because it incorporated more dance moves than other classes. Being thin and trim already, I soon realized some of the female members were always trying to stand close to him. It was amusing to me. His moves were smooth and always on the beat; I knew he had to have had some dance training, even if it was just going out to clubs at night. Where some of the members avoided the large man, others were striving to get close to this other man because of his looks. The reason I know this to be a fact is because he told me at some point a member was asking if he was single. This is the weird dynamic I was speaking of. Because I always focused on internal qualities like brains, humor, and empathy with dating prospects; I get fascinated when people express their desires for external things like height, hair and weight. Now here is the kicker; several months later this thin man disappeared from class and the fitness center. Then one day all the newspapers came out with a photograph of him on the front pages. He was arrested and charged with killing his roommate. One of my first thoughts was how ironic all of this became. As they say, “Never judge a book by its cover,” nor should one judge this historical drama by its cover. WITH HIS MOTHER TAKEN AWAY AND his father abandoning him, a young boy soon realizes he would need to be the best he can be if he wanted to survive in a world, he was not meant to be in. With Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Monsters and Men, It Comes at Night) as Joseph, Samara Weaving (Ready or Not, Snake Eyes) as Marie-Josephine, Lucy Boynton (Murder on the Orient Express, Bohemian Rhapsody) as Marie Antoinette, Ronke Adekoluejo (Been So Long, Christopher Robin) as Nanon and Marton Csokas (The Last Dual, The Equalizer) as Marquis De Montalembert; this film based on a factual story intrigued me deeply. Having been raised early on with classical music, I was stunned to find out there was truth to this story. The acting was right in synch with the character representation, especially from Kelvin. I will say I enjoyed the first half of the film more than the last half, simply because towards the end the script started becoming a generic version of itself and turning predictable. The script could have used more punch to keep things exciting as they were in the beginning. This was such a fascinating story, and I appreciated the extra knowledge offered before the ending credits.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Flamin’ Hot
MY ONLY THOUGHT WAS THE GENTLEMAN sitting across from me was given something different to eat than me. The way he carried on with the potato chips, you would have thought they were the best thing the planet had ever seen. I thought he was nuts or had lost all sense of taste, because that was nowhere near my reaction to taste testing the chips. I was chosen for a study group that was doing a blind tasting of various potato chips. Truthfully, I would have rather been picked to taste test desserts, but I was grateful nonetheless because the stipend was a good amount of money, and I was eating a carbohydrate. There were twelve of us sitting around a conference table. Placed in front of each seat were three plastic containers that each contained potato chips. They looked the same to me, but I could tell there was a slight difference in color and texture between them. We were trying the second container and I thought they were horrible, having a medicinal processed taste. They also had a weak crunch which was a big minus for me. When we then had to go around and tell the group our reaction, the man across from me was raving about them. Honestly, they turned out to be the worst ones in my opinion. Many of the participants thought the same thing as I did. I WAS AWARE THAT PEOPLE’S TASTE buds were different. Each of us can taste bitter, sweet and sour; but the number of receptors we have is different. I remember New Coke debuted with big fanfare. I did not like it at all; and as it turned out, there were many other people who disliked it as well. Because of that misstep, I have become more curious about the reasoning behind the introduction of new flavors. The first thing that comes to mind is the explosion of pumpkin spice during the Halloween season. This flavor has been attached to so many different food items, that just sound ghastly to me. There is cereal, cookies, coffee, which I can wrap my head around. However, sauces, cheese or soft drinks sounds disgusting. I just want to know how that idea came out of a marketing group or department. It seems to me some food items are better left untouched. I do not want potato chips tasting like pizza or macaroni and cheese. Regarding the flavor being introduced in this biographical drama, I have a close friend who can live on them; I would have to be hospitalized, way too hot for me. A JANITOR AT A FRITO LAY plant in fear of layoffs, believes he found a way to save jobs and honor his Mexican heritage. However, none of the managers believed him because he was a janitor. With Jesse Garcia (Ambulance, The Starling) as Richard Montanez, Annie Gonzalez (East of the Mountains, The Edge of Her Mind Anthology) as Judy Montanez, Emilio Rivera (The Family Business-TV, Mayans M.C-TV) as Vacho Montanez, Vanessa Martinez (Go for Sisters, Dirty John-TV) as Concha Montanez and Dennis Haysbert (Far From Heaven, Playing with Fire) as Clarence C. Baker; this film based on a true story was simply a feel good movie. I do not know how much of the film was based on actual events; however, the direction was perfectly executed to provide doses of drama, humor and sadness. Because I know people who are addicted to this product, I felt more connected to the story. Easily, the script could have used more intensity and explained the depth of people’s motives more; however, the premise of the story was so charming and fascinating that I stayed fully engaged with it. And honestly, by the end of the movie I wanted to attempt to eat one Flamin’ Hot Cheeto.
2 ½ stars
Flash Movie Review: Shooting Stars
I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO be a long day, but I needed the continuing education credits to renew my fitness certification. When I signed up, I could not believe we had to be ready to start at 7:30am. The end was set at 5pm, with forty-five minutes for lunch. The schedule started with a lecture, followed by a workshop, then another lecture before the lunchbreak. Gratefully, we were to have another lecture after lunch because I am not one who can eat and immediately afterwards exert myself physically. Trust me, it would not be a pretty sight. My hope was for the class to end early. When I walked into the hotel’s conference ballroom, I looked for an empty chair. As I was walking down the aisle, I heard my name being called out. Turning towards the sound I looked out and saw a friend of mine was waving me over to them. We taught at the same fitness center; but ironically, did not see much of each other during working hours because I taught night classes, and she did day ones. However, we still formed a bond because we started at the same time and hit it off immediately. Whenever we had a staff meeting, we would get together, just the two of us, before or after to catch up with one another. I was grateful and happy she was at this event. IT IS FUNNY HOW I WAS dreading the day, spending it cooped up in a hotel conference ballroom because now the time was flying by as the two of us kept each other company. During the workouts when the facilitator asked us to pair up, the two of us would do it together. Each of us had an easiness with the other, where nothing ever felt uncomfortable; even the “hands on” portions where we would either support a portion of the other’s body/limb or correct a position/alignment of muscle joints. Before I knew it, the lunch break arrived and the two of us found a secluded corner of the lobby where we could sit and eat in peace. With us talking and laughing the lunch break only seemed like it was a couple of minutes before we were due back in class. The lecture portion gave me the time to sit and digest my lunch; so, I was prepared for the final workout which was tough. We made it through to the end and hugged each other before we left. It was great seeing and participating with her; it made the day feel fun for me. And that is the reason I can see why the four friends in this biographical drama did not want to go it alone when it came to basketball. CHILDHOOD FRIENDS KNEW BY STICKING TOGETHER they could accomplish more on the court than if they went it alone. The truth was in the results. With newcomer Marquis Mookie Cook as LeBron James, Wood Harris (Creed franchise, Empire-TV) as Coach Dru Joyce II, Dermot Mulroney (My Best Friend’s Wedding, Scream VI) as Keith Dambrot, Caleb McLaughlin (Concrete Cowboy, Stranger Things-TV) as Lil Dru Joyce III and Natalie Paul (Either Side of Midnight, The Prophecy-TV) as Gloria James; this story based on true events surprised me because I did not know LeBron’s history. I found the script was fun and the basketball playing scenes were exciting. Whether the events shown were true or not, I did not know; but my interest was kept throughout the movie. With that being said, there was not much variance in the drama, nor was there anything different compared to other films in this genre. I do not consider myself a basketball fan; however, I know how the game is played and have seen a few. This was an easy, nothing out of the ordinary sports film that wound up providing me with a back story to a man I have only seen snippets of on television.
2 ¼ stars
Flash Movie Review: A Thousand and One
WHEN YOU ARE A SMALL CHILD, all parents seem bigger and more powerful. So, when the mother showed up to confront the bullies who were picking on her son, I could tell those boys were scared. I tried to avoid those kids because I knew they picked on other students; it seemed to me it was whoever was in their sights when they were all together, which usually was before school started, gym class or recess time. If it was only one of them by himself, then they did not always start trouble. I guess they needed an audience of their friends around to make it worthwhile to tease or abuse someone. When the mother walked up to them, the bullies moved closer to each other. She yelled at them as she jabbed her finger close to each one’s face. I did not hear everything being said but did catch the phrase, “How would you like it if I did to you what you are doing to my son?” By this time, the bullies could only look down and stay silent, but she was not having it; she demanded they look at her when she was talking to them. After a few more words, which she ended by saying, “Next time I will bring the police with me,” she made her way to the open school entrance. All of us knew she was going to seek out the principal. I never saw them pick on her son again. ANOTHER MOTHER WHO STOOD OUT TO me was one I met in high school. She was a real character. The first time I saw her she was wearing hot pink colored short shorts, a white tank top and sparkling rings on both hands. The word that best describes her would be, “jolly.” She was always joking with her daughter’s friends, saying things that were on the verge of embarrassing; well, at least to her daughter who would just sit there and shake her head. But her mother volunteered for everything; it could be a field trip, a bake sale, a chaperone, whatever the school needed. I learned to respect and admire her because she was unapologetic. She was overweight and short, never letting it bother her. I was her daughter’s friend, so I probably had more interaction with her than other students. The thing I learned about her was though she had this fun cheerful side, she was very protective of her daughter. No one could even suggest something negative about the daughter without the mother confronting the person. She had no problem standing up for what she believed was best for her daughter and pity the person who was on the receiving end. Even having known these and many other mothers, I have to say I could not believe the perseverance and determination the mother displayed in this dramatic crime movie. REFUSING TO WATCH HER SON LANGUISH in the foster care system, a mother decides to kidnap him and find themselves a better life. With Teyana Taylor (White Men Can’t Jump, Miracles Across 125th Street) as Inez de la Paz, Aaron Kingsley Adetola (Rise, Superblocked) as Terry 6 years old, Aven Courtney (Strive, Aviva) as Terry 13 years old, Josiah Cross (King Richard) as Terry 17 years old and William Catlett (The Devil You Know, Charm City Kings) as Lucky; this story based in New York City was unbelievable. I was surprised how quickly I was captivated by Inez; the acting was close to perfection. I will say this was not an easy film to watch, simply because of the tough, emotionally intense scenes; but believe me, it is worth it to see such a well-done movie. The acting was superb by everyone because I had to keep reminding myself this was a made-up story not a documentary; that is how real it came across to me. I will say the ending was a bit of a letdown for me; it seemed to have lost some of its intensity. Despite that, I have a new appreciation for a mother’s strength.
3 ½ stars
moviejoltz 