A complex sophomoric directorial debut with a fly on the wall feel from multiple POV. It feels choppy at times, perhaps to reflect the fractured identity of the times; an ever-changing, racially-charged Jim Crow-infused America. This movie, set for the most part in an all-male Borstal for young African-American men, who may never find their way out, is only given to the outside world on rare occasions. Perhaps a reality compounded by facts that are glimmered like the sun that pours through the trees as we glimpse the landing of the moon, MLK speeches and ‘LWood’ going to work in a mashup of otherness.
It is a film student’s movie by all counts, with the style and choice of cinematography but the story is relatable in spite of the multiple POV. The performances of the entire cast, even the smaller roles are all watchable and detailed.