As a person from the south, this movie hits home. I cried because of how close. Those who say it can't be real and its fake and this isn't how the south is has no idea what they are talking about. They know nothing of the struggles and hardship of what people deal with where we're from. In the end it's true... if you work hard and don't give up, you can do something with yourself. You'll have to make hard choices but that's what life is. To make something of your self or not is your choice.
These scenes are not over dramatized. These scenes actually happen. I've seen it. I've heard more stories like these as well. So people who assume these things don't happen and then say this can't be real or is just a retelling of something else and can't be that way for other people are completely and utterly wrong.
People need to watch this and understand that this is life.
Yes, people look down on you if you say your southern... if you have an accent or live in the wrong/poor neighborhood. Let me tell you one thing though... I love seeing their face when they realize I'm not some uncultured idiot. I might have been raised poor, in the south, and in a family that's broken but I wouldn't change that for anything. I wouldn't have turned out the way I am if I wasn't. At least the way I was raised didn't make me turn out like a lot of these spoiled, entitled people who think they deserve everything handed to them.
So yes, I liked this movie. It was emotional for me but it gets a well deserved 5 stars from me.