Opened: August 23, 2013

Directed by: Destin Daniel Cretton

Starring: Brie Larson, John Gallagher Jr., Kaitlyn Dever, Rami Malek, Lakeith Stanfield, Stephanie Beatriz, Kevin Hernandez, Melora Walters, Lydia Du Veaux, Alex Calloway, Frantz Turner & Diana-Maria Riva

With fully fleshed out characters played by an all-star cast with such honesty, Short Term 12 is a beautiful film that’s both heartbreaking and heartwarming.

Grace (Brie Larson) is a supervisor at a home for troubled teenagers working with her boyfriend Mason (John Gallagher Jr.), Nate (Rami Malek) and Jessica (Stephanie Beatriz). Two of Grace’s kids are dealing with their heavy issues: Marcus (Lakeith Stanfield) is aging out of the system, and Jayden (Kaitlyn Dever) is being abused by her father.

An early entry in the film careers of Larson, Dever, Malek, Stanfield and Beatriz, all the actors show their future potential. The characters mesh so well with every emotion feeling genuinely authentic. Larson and Dever will break you down to tears, while Gallagher provides a light in many characters’ darkness.

Final say: This is a must-watch. ★★★★★