Short Term 12 (2013)

An unbelievable showcase of young talent.

Cinematography by: Brett Pawlak

Achingly human and one of my favorite movies of the decade, Destin Daniel Cretton’s Short Term 12 is an unforgettable emotional roller-coaster and an unbelievable showcase of young talent. This affecting movie follows a group of counselors and kids at a center for at-risk teens, and it boasts a truly impressive roster of before-they-were-stars star-power, with many of these young artists going on to earn major leading and supporting roles in film and television.

In order of least to most relative fame, this film has John Gallagher Jr. of 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) and Hush (2016); Kaitlyn Dever of Booksmart (2019); Stephanie Beatriz of Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013-) and The LEGO Movie 2 (2019); LaKeith Stanfield of Atlanta (2016-) and Sorry to Bother You (2018); Oscar-winner Rami Malek of Mr. Robot (2015-2019) and Bohemian Rhapsody (2018); and Brie Larson, Oscar-winning actress of Room (2015), and our newest Marvel superhero, Captain Marvel (2019). Every performer gives it their all - raw emotion flowing throughout the film - and Cretton shoots it with endless compassion, his camera close but never exploitive.

I watch this movie often and it never loses any of its magnitude; it’s a study in the healing power of empathy, and it’s ability to connect. Short Term 12 deserves, at least, to be on everyone’s radar, if not already on their DVD shelf at home (I’m not the only one who still buys physical copies of movies right?).