Review of Short Term 12 (2013) by Corey B — 26 Sep 2013

Wow. Wow. Wow. The credits begin to roll after Short Term 12 ends, and these are the primary thoughts racing through my head after experiencing such an emotionally dense film. Despite its simplistic storyline, Short Term 12 is nothing short of extraordinary, because it forces us to experience the full spectrum of human emotions as the film progresses-quick-witted humor, sorrow, apathy, and ultimately, the existential significance of the decisions we make as we grow as emotional human beings. Short Term 12, without a doubt, stands out as one of the greatest and most impactful indie films of 2013, and it deserves much acclamation for its gorgeous cinematography, deeply moving plot, and realistically humane style.

Short Term 12 follows Grace, our kind-hearted yet troubled protagonist working at a foster-care home for underprivileged and troubled children, named-you guessed it-Short Term 12. Grace is the best at what she does-connecting with children living in the home and helping them through their social and emotional issues. She lives with her boyfriend Mason, and early into the film, Grace receives the news that she is pregnant. This unplanned pregnancy-along with various anxiety and familial issues-are all demons Grace must battle internally to remain strong and effective as a caretaker at the facility. Shortly thereafter, Short Term 12 receives a new intake named Jayden, a darkly dressed and bad-mannered teenage girl. Grace learns to connect quite well with Jayden, along with other members of the home, due to her similarly painful past.

The beauty of Short Term 12 lies in its striking realism, immersive character development, and engagingly symbolic cinematography. Every character has their moment to shine as we notice their individualistic mannerisms and the seemingly unimportant objects they pay attention to, each with its own emotionally dense backstory per respective character. Not a single scene is wasted in Short Term 12, relying on single-shot frames of scenery, events, and facial expressions as symbolic representations of the story being told. The film is both light-hearted and powerfully somber, injected with quick-witted humor the entire way through while slowly inching its way into your heart.

Throughout its entertaining playfulness, Short Term 12 also forces you to face the dark realities of life, such as the children that suffer in neglected or abusive homes and its psychological consequences. This film is truly an accomplishment for indie cinema, because few films can be so amusingly clever and boldly genuine. At one point in the film, Mason is retelling one of his favorite stories and states, "It was so f**king cute, I almost pissed my pants." The same can be said about Short Term 12, because it is a film that is simply impossible not to adore.