Rating of
3.5/4
One of 2012's Best
mitchellyoung - wrote on 12/27/12
This crowdsource-funded film is the indie gem of 2012. It captures shades of growing up and deals with themes of drug abuse, conflicted friendship, and outcasts without falling into any of the typical high school film cliches. The characters here, though they fit certain molds, are real characterizations, brought to life by subtle and important performances. Troy is a fat kid who is left out of a lot of things, but he has a goodness about him and a self assurance that makes him different from a thin caricature. Marcus is a drug addict who starts using Troy for money, but his motives and insight becomes so much more as the film progresses. Troy's father, played by the underrated Billy Campbell, could have been the typical, hard-ass Marine dad, but, in this film, he truly loves his son and acts out of a combination of discipline and compassion. The film earns its triumphant ending by not pulling any punches and taking shortcuts and the result is a satisfying, darkly funny, and inspiring growing up story.
