Powerful

Boring

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Carried by two preteen actors this raw, gritty, real inner city tale has you rooting for a miracle the whole time. A drama based in Brooklyn has the two main characters on their own and in hiding from Child Welfare services so they can avoid the NY foster care system doing what they have to to survive until their parents (hopefully) return. Difficult to watch as the writing, acting, directing et al. brought this sad take on hardship and American poverty to life. An important, enjoyable film.

Masterfully told, poignant and memorable, this film was an emotional home run. Every character was vivid and raw, especially the compassion-evoking, young lead, "Mister." Jennifer Hudson was just short of brilliant in her portrayal of a troubled, desperate mother, spiraling out of control, plagued by the repercussions of too many poor choices. This film is grittily realistic, thanks to a near-perfect cast and superb, thoughtful storytelling. Love it.

I'm usually not a fan of inner-city dramas, but this one is different. There's no overt political message--in fact, in that regards it comes off more like an impassive documentary: you are the disembodied eye, witnessing the lives of two young abandoned cubs as they struggle to survive in one of the harshest environments in the country. There's no finger-pointing, no cliché'd "bad guy"...in fact, (almost) everyone is a "bad guy" at one point or another, except for Pete (the voice of innocence, acquainted to the local Hell by a more seasoned Mister).The acting by the two young heroes is fantastic--particularly from Skylan Brooks, who (I'm sure) will be gracing our screen for decades to come.The directing is both solid and refreshing--Mr. George Tillman Jr.'s style features is a wonderful change from today's prevalent "cut to another scene every half seconds" style. He's not afraid to dwell on a seemingly-unrelated scene to fill in atmosphere, and he doesn't insult the audience by explaining what is clearly implied. His is a name worth remembering as well.This movie is well worth a watch--I doubt many will find fault with it, as it shares some resonance with almost everyone.

"Is it OK not to love your mom?" Mister (Brooks) is having a tough time at school not only fitting in but with his grades as well. When he leaves the only place he has to go is home, to his drug addicted and basically absent mother Gloria (Hudson). One day he comes home to find Pete, a kid he knows in his room. Gloria informs Mister they will be taking care of him for a few days but no one sees what is coming next. First of all I have to start by saying this is a fantastic movie but hard to watch. I would compare it to Precious in that way. This one deals with how the kids take care of themselves in the only way they know how rather then living with an abusive mother. The movie is emotionally draining but very much worth seeing especially for the kid playing Mister. He was amazing in this and deserves some sort of nomination. He really brings powerful emotions to this and even when he breaks the law in some scenes you are still rooting for him. I can not say enough about this movie and it deserves to be seen by a larger audience then it will get. Overall, emotionally draining but a must see movie. I highly recommend this. I give it an A.