Porsha Brooks

Uncomfortable Art. Did “Cuties” take it too far with the up close, zoomed in scenes of adolescent bodies gyrating? Well as a 32 year old woman I was definitely uncomfortable throughout the movie…so much so, my hands (which I was keeping warm inside of my pajama pants before the move started) were consciously removed to my kneecaps during the first dance scene. However, the uncomfortability is a necessary evil. Sexuality doesn’t start when you are 18+ and can give consent. The hard truth is it starts at the age when we are “cuties”, and in many cases, even younger. The real issue is, what are we as a society doing to prevent the realities of this movie? Even with all the safety precautions/ laws in place to protect our children, they are still exposed, and without calling attention to it, this storyline will continue to be reality. Obviously people aren’t ready to face the reality that young girls mimic older women, and older women use their sexuality to attract love, feel desired, and increase self-esteem. Many will say their negative reviews has more to do with the provocativeness of the film appealing to pedophiles. Yes, this film will be misused by pedophiles but so will a large portion of Hollywood’s releases. You can’t not showcase uncomfortability because a small portion of society will misuse it. Especially when the take-away provokes controversy, creates awareness, and sparks these conversations. I had to pause this movie after the first 30 minutes to express my feelings and judgements with my girlfriend, whom I was watching the film with. I’ve also never felt this compelled to write a movie review. There were many relatable moments in my own childhood, all stemming from trying to fit in. I am grateful I am not experiencing my youth at a time when fitting in means selfies for likes, glorified stripping careers, and worldwide twerking competitions. This film is uncomfortable because it exposes the effects culture & mainstream media has on young girls, the development of young boys as a result, and the very real consequence of cuties being taken advantage of by men. Even if this director never put this out and Netflix never picked it up, these stories still exist. Why get mad at the exposure to a problem instead of the actual problem itself?