Short Term 12

Been saving this one for the right mood and definitely glad I did.  Unfortunately I don't think I'm even close to qualified for reviewing it.  I think production wise it is almost perfect for the genre and story it was delivering.  I would love to crap on about the use of camera angle's, lenses, shooting style etc but I'm completely out of my league so will just say it's 'beautifully shot'.

Short Term 12 is more of an experience than a story.  We are immediately thrown into the world of a handful of carers looking after troubled youths and once we settle into this environment we can see like all things in life it's not as black and white as we may have thought.  Again I say I'm not qualified, being a middle class 'white dude' whose biggest problem growing up was not getting a Nintendo 64 for Christmas, it's hard to relate to the trauma and experiences these kids must have gone through - but the film does a good job of putting this in perspective.

In fact I think perspective is a key focus of this film.  It almost becomes a lesson in the power of perception. The perception of authority, perception of what we fear, and for us the viewer the perception of who or what is fucked up, or considered fucked up.

Snap out of it! Too deep, sorry.  Bottle of cheap Barossa red + antibiotics for an ear infection that is giving me nothing but Mono sound at best... maybe over thinking it all.

Moving on... It's a potentially dark subject but captured in quite a positive light.  The main characters have a lot to do with this adding some humour, but also the music is very up-beat and happy even during moments that could be perceived as higher tension.  I think this worked really well.

The acting is crazy good.  I didn't recognise anyone in the cast but quality was top notch.  There were a few story telling type scene's which helped add the humour but also just felt so natural and well acted.  I honestly hope this film kick starts a few careers here.

As always I have to make a small complaint.  There is a scene involving a suicide attempt and I would like the makers of this film to look up the number of litres of blood in the human body, and how many of those litres are expelled when slicing certain areas.  I don't think a smear on the wall covered it, but hey - maybe they were going for PG rating?

Overall though an incredibly well made film.  It loses a point for re-watch ability,  definitely think this is a once only for me.   That said though if I see the next title from Destin Cretton, writer and director,  I will definitely be checking it out.

8/10

IMDB Info