Review of The Archer (2017) by Nicole D — 25 Jul 2017

The Archer is a thrilling queer story, taking a ripped from the headlines case "cash-for-kids" and shining a light on a corrupt judicial system in support of mass incarceration of young people. Director Valerie Weiss has crafted a compelling film with young characters that engage and empower the audience. From the very first scene before The Archer can even draw back her bow we know Lauren Pierce (Bailey Noble) is a force to be reckoned with. A champion archer, Lauren after leading her team to victory retreats back to her hotel room for a night of celebratory drinking with her crush Emily. The two girls drunken exuberance turns romantic but is quickly interrupted by Emily's abusive boyfriend showing up unannounced. Violence ensues forcing Lauren to intervene in defense of Emily. Sending the boyfriend to the hospital and landing Lauren a one-way trip to Paradise Pines.

Paradise Pines is a youth prison that dispenses physical and psychological abuse on a daily bassist to young girls whose crimes rage from petty theft to flipping off their math teacher. Their Lauren meets Rebecca, Jeanie Mason (FOX's So You Think You Can Dance) a rebellious prisoner who has escaped multiple times only to be caught and subjected to degrading retribution at the hands of the masochistic warden Bob Patrice, Bill Sage (AWOL) and his pervy son Michael played by Michael Grant Terry (Bones). Lauren and Rebecca must team up and make a break for it if they want to expose the facility's criminal undertakings. The Archer is an edge of your seat action thriller lesbian audiences have been waiting for.