Short Term 12 directed by Destin Daniel Cretton is a film that I had never heard of until I came across it while looking through Netflix for something to watch, but I am so glad I did find it because I really enjoyed it.
Short Term 12 is about a foster-care facility for at risk teenagers. Not only do the kids at the care home have troubled pasts, most of the staff do too. Which of course helps them to understand and help the children in their care but can also causing a few problems too because they get too involved. One member of staff in particular, Grace (Brie Larson), makes it her own personal mission to help a girl that is new to the home. The girl continuously runs away from the home and has a history of hurting herself. Grace feels more of a connection to the girl as she has experienced similar things and so she starts digging to find the root of the girls unhappiness and Grace tries to save her from drowning in whatever’s going on.
The film is quite dark and reflects on issues most children in care have to deal with, it helps people who have never had to experience such things to understand how it must feel, which creates a lot of empathy for the characters. It also makes you realise how much care workers have to go through and how difficult it must be. Destin Daniel Cretton has created a great storyline and I advise that everyone watches this, but don’t forget your tissues because its bound to make you cry.
Megan Jackson's AS Media Studies Blog 