Sex, crime, and consequences —Hollywood films center on the drama of such a life, so much that the amount of sex, drugs, and crime its cinematic merit. It could even encourage the movie to be up for an Oscar nomination. People have become so accustomed by such dramas in life that it is easy to forget that these problems not only make good television but are real. Girlhood reminds its viewers that crime and consequence goes beyond the television screen, and plague real human beings, especially America’s youth.
When one thinks of a watching documentary, a dreary voice reciting the disadvantageous elements of global warming tends to come to mind. --“Bueller, Bueller” -- Yet, This documentary by Liz Garbus is not as a person would expect. Her efforts in producing this film has definitely made her worthy of her awarded Academy Award. Girlhood is a documentary following the lives of two young girls, Megan and Shanae, while they try to find themselves in a world brimming with adversities. For three years the two girls are trailed with a camera crew as they speak of their past mistakes. Both begin in the Waxter Juvenile Facility and later on branch into their own separate lives outside of it.
I admit, Girlhood is no Michael Moore production, whether that is a good thing or not is not mine to answer. However, Girlhood takes on the problems of the world, especially the United States, and uses compassion and disbelief to strike viewers’ interest. There is no narrator and no script, only the true confessions of two girls who have not had an easy life. It is hard to believe this is not a scripted movie; the events in these young girls’ lives could easily make an impressive screenplay. So, although not a Moore documentary, it has definitely founds its own place in my personal list of accomplished documentaries.
When one thinks of a watching documentary, a dreary voice reciting the disadvantageous elements of global warming tends to come to mind. --“Bueller, Bueller” -- Yet, This documentary by Liz Garbus is not as a person would expect. Her efforts in producing this film has definitely made her worthy of her awarded Academy Award. Girlhood is a documentary following the lives of two young girls, Megan and Shanae, while they try to find themselves in a world brimming with adversities. For three years the two girls are trailed with a camera crew as they speak of their past mistakes. Both begin in the Waxter Juvenile Facility and later on branch into their own separate lives outside of it.
I admit, Girlhood is no Michael Moore production, whether that is a good thing or not is not mine to answer. However, Girlhood takes on the problems of the world, especially the United States, and uses compassion and disbelief to strike viewers’ interest. There is no narrator and no script, only the true confessions of two girls who have not had an easy life. It is hard to believe this is not a scripted movie; the events in these young girls’ lives could easily make an impressive screenplay. So, although not a Moore documentary, it has definitely founds its own place in my personal list of accomplished documentaries.
Every documentary lives its life only hoping to be of some impact on people. However, this life is usually lived with only these hopes as it never materializes, sitting on a shelf and is only removed to show to a classroom. If whenever you are feeling depressed or disheartened about anything at all in your life, I would suggest reaching for this movie. The circumstances these two young girls have to deal with will make any other problems a person seems to have appear nothing less than trivial. Even hours after seeing this film you cannot help but forget your own problems and plunge into their own.
The study subjects are an interesting pick. It makes me wonder whether it was intentional or not. Of the two girls, Shanae definitely grows as a person throughout the three years. Her maturity is quickly evident as she finds remorse for her actions and wants nothing more than to change and return home. She is the hero in this short story, overcoming all her mistakes and returns to her life a completely changed person.
Megan, however, does not mature as smoothly as her costar. She even borders on striking the point of a viewer’s annoyance. It seems almost insensitive to admit so, because of the circumstances she has lived in, but it is nonetheless true and I will declare it without remorse. She has the potential to change but her behavior will not allow her to do so. So is forced to fight the demons of her past and find the drive to overcome them and become more than it. There is hope when she leaves the Waxter Facility, but over the next two years she falls right back into old habits: drugs, discourtesy, and bad English. Her redeeming quality is her bravery and strength in dealing with her drug addicted mother who bounces in and out of prison. By the end of the movie, when Megan ceases to deal with her mother’s habit and finally decides to confront her, the viewer is only cheering her on with silent words and held breaths.
I myself am an eager, yet naive, connoisseur of documentaries, appreciating those documentaries than can hold my interest while being very informative. So, although I would highly recommend this movie, it will likely not change anyone’s opinion that already has a strong conviction against documentaries.
The study subjects are an interesting pick. It makes me wonder whether it was intentional or not. Of the two girls, Shanae definitely grows as a person throughout the three years. Her maturity is quickly evident as she finds remorse for her actions and wants nothing more than to change and return home. She is the hero in this short story, overcoming all her mistakes and returns to her life a completely changed person.
Megan, however, does not mature as smoothly as her costar. She even borders on striking the point of a viewer’s annoyance. It seems almost insensitive to admit so, because of the circumstances she has lived in, but it is nonetheless true and I will declare it without remorse. She has the potential to change but her behavior will not allow her to do so. So is forced to fight the demons of her past and find the drive to overcome them and become more than it. There is hope when she leaves the Waxter Facility, but over the next two years she falls right back into old habits: drugs, discourtesy, and bad English. Her redeeming quality is her bravery and strength in dealing with her drug addicted mother who bounces in and out of prison. By the end of the movie, when Megan ceases to deal with her mother’s habit and finally decides to confront her, the viewer is only cheering her on with silent words and held breaths.
I myself am an eager, yet naive, connoisseur of documentaries, appreciating those documentaries than can hold my interest while being very informative. So, although I would highly recommend this movie, it will likely not change anyone’s opinion that already has a strong conviction against documentaries.
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