Whatever you do, do NOT forget the cheese.
I can see why this movie gets such a high rating. It does things that very few movies from any genre are willing to do: it doesn't give you easy answers, and it doesn't resovle every plotline with a neat bow. It gets you to care about the characters, then it forces you to sit with the consequences of their choices. It's very well-made and really well-acted, although I wouldn't say any one performance stands out. The performers are careful to not do anything to.make you question their credibility, and they don't do anything to really draw your attention away from the story, so no one has any big dramatic moment (except for maybe the final moments). My favorite ended up being Jada Pinkett Smith as Ronnie, who was sweet and understanding, but could turn fierce the moment her young son was involved. There are a lot of options for coming-of-age stories about characters in this part of California, and I don't think I would say this one is the best, but it kept me engaged, and I don't think I'll be forgetting it any time soon.
I can see why this movie gets such a high rating. It does things that very few movies from any genre are willing to do: it doesn't give you easy answers, and it doesn't resovle every plotline with a neat bow. It gets you to care about the characters, then it forces you to sit with the consequences of their choices. It's very well-made and really well-acted, although I wouldn't say any one performance stands out. The performers are careful to not do anything to.make you question their credibility, and they don't do anything to really draw your attention away from the story, so no one has any big dramatic moment (except for maybe the final moments). My favorite ended up being Jada Pinkett Smith as Ronnie, who was sweet and understanding, but could turn fierce the moment her young son was involved. There are a lot of options for coming-of-age stories about characters in this part of California, and I don't think I would say this one is the best, but it kept me engaged, and I don't think I'll be forgetting it any time soon.