The Upcoming
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Cinema
      • Movie reviews
      • Film festivals
    • Food & Drinks
      • News & Features
      • Restaurant & bar reviews
      • Interviews & Recipes
    • Literature
    • Music
      • Live music
    • Theatre
    • Shows & On demand
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
  • What’s On
    • Art exhibitions
    • Theatre shows
  • Tickets
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Fund us
    • Contact us
  • Interviews
  • Competitions
  • Special events
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Cannes
      • Sundance London
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • Tumblr

  • RSS


CultureCinemaMovie reviews

Short Term 12

Short Term 12 | Movie review
5 November 2013
Aoife O'Driscoll
Avatar
Aoife O'Driscoll
5 November 2013

Following his 2009 short of the same name, Destin Cretton’s feature Short Term 12 is based on his own experiences working in a foster care facility. Cretton has succeeded in creating not only strong protagonists, but a wide cast of characters with unique traits and flaws that will immediately capture audiences. The world he presents is so volatile and heart-wrenching that it would be difficult not to become utterly invested in Short Term 12.

Grace (Brie Larson, 21 Jump Street) is a young and proficient supervisor at one such facility, near unflappable and utterly dedicated to her kids. But just as she discovers that she is pregnant by her delighted, loving boyfriend and co-worker Mason (John Gallagher Jr., Whatever Works), Grace finds an uncomfortable reflection of her own past trauma in turbulent newcomer Jayden (Kaitlyn Devur, Bad Teacher). Furthermore, her long-term ward Marcus (Keith Stanfield, Short Term 12 2009) is approaching his 18th birthday and struggling with the concept of leaving his safe haven. As she becomes increasingly involved with her kids, Grace’s personal life spirals out of control.

The powerful script is complemented by powerful performances. After several memorable supporting parts, Larson is finally afforded a gritty leading role to fully explore her vast talent. The actress is captivating – it would be very easy for an emotionally unavailable character to become two-dimensional, but Grace is steadily portrayed, with her confusing emotions and history silently bubbling under a cool facade. Larson is supported by irresistible portrayals from the warm Gallagher and the fiery Devur, but is exceeded by only one: Keith Stanfield as Marcus.

Amazingly, Short Term 12 is Stanfield’s first feature, and only his third film (his first being the original 2009 short). It is unsurprising that Cretton had Stanfield reprise his role, as it is entirely unimaginable that anyone could hope to better the original flawless performance. Almost an adult, Marcus – tough and quiet – is the eldest ward at the foster home, yet the vulnerability that Stanfield brings with just the merest facial expression or break in his voice can make him seem like a small child. It is, quite simply, breathtaking.

Short Term 12 is one of those wonderful movies that stays stuck in the mind for days, replaying over scenes of shuddering poignancy and whip-smart one-liners. This film deserves wide exposure and the highest praise imaginable. Cretton and his spectacular stars have truly and utterly outdone themselves.

Aoife O’Driscoll

Short Term 12 is released nationwide on 1st November 2013.

Watch the trailer for Short Term 12 here:

Related Items

More in Movie reviews

The Outsider

★★★★★
Andrew Murray
Read More

Beast

★★★★★
Euan Franklin
Read More

Every Day

★★★★★
Catherine Sedgwick
Read More

Big Fish and Begonia

★★★★★
Chloe Sizer
Read More

Funny Cow

★★★★★
Selina Begum
Read More

The Leisure Seeker

★★★★★
Daniel Amir
Read More

Let the Sunshine In

★★★★★
Euan Franklin
Read More

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

★★★★★
Euan Franklin
Read More

Truth or Dare

★★★★★
Guy Lambert
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap

Tickets

Theatre tickets

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • Project Gastronomía: How will Londoners eat in 2050? A symposium on gastronomy and multisensory design
    Food & Drinks
  • Gregory Porter at the Royal Albert Hall
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • Bat Out of Hell at the Dominion Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Tribeca Film Festival 2018: On the red carpet with the stars of Westworld season 2
    Cinema
  • Half Breed
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Sherlock Gnomes premiere: A chat with James McAvoy, his co-stars and the film’s creators
    Cinema
  • The Outsider
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Tokio Myers at the Forum
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • The Outsider: An interview with director Thomas Meadmore
    Cinema
  • Beast
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Sherlock Gnomes premiere: A chat with James McAvoy, his co-stars and the film’s creators
    Cinema
  • Tokio Myers at the Forum
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • Beast
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Lisa Stansfield at the London Palladium
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • Bat Out of Hell at the Dominion Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre

Instagram

Something is wrong. Response takes too long or there is JS error. Press Ctrl+Shift+J or Cmd+Shift+J on a Mac.
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Fund us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • New London restaurant openings and pop-ups
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Subscribe
  • What, when, why

Copyright © 2018 FL Media Ltd

Unscorched at the Finborough | Theatre review
Drinking Buddies | Movie review