A very solid coming-of-age film with great acting, good cinematography, emotion and depth. I think it'll draw some inevitable comparisons to _Moonlight_, and while I don't think this is quite as well written, directed or memorable, it makes for a nice companion piece. I also really appreciate how it captures the different time periods authentically without shoving an overabundance of references in your face.

7/10

A pleasant surprise considering the miniscule publicity, and very worth the watch. 7/10

The kind of film that you know is destined to break your heart. A decent drama with a surprise ending.

From Vanity Fair:

First-time feature director A.V. Rockwell’s handsomely mounted film is a terrific showcase for its star, Teyana Taylor. Tackling her first big dramatic role with force, Taylor fluidly embodies a woman trying to keep ahead of a secret. Taylor’s Inez, recently out of prison, kidnaps her son from foster care and steals away into a new life with him, hiding out in uptown Manhattan. The boy, Terry, grows up, unaware that his mother is something of a fugitive, a fact that will come to bear heavily on his educational prospects. Except for an unnecessary, late-breaking twist, Rockwell stages this heavy subject matter with little melodrama. Her film is humble, though finely tailored in restrained style. (She shoots New York City beautifully.) It’s an auspicious filmmaking debut, and a grand re-announcement for its star.

Very watchable drama focused on Inez (Teyana Taylor) who kidnaps her son from the foster care system. A.V. Rockwell wrote and directed it and does an extremely good job - considering (I think) it's her first feature. But Teyana Taylor is the stand out - she gives a mesmerizing performance as a mum on the edge who will 'go to war' for her son, Terry.

The story begins in 1994 in New York and the city becomes this sort of sprawling malignant background character as we shift into 2001 then 2005, and with it, we see the changes and struggles that Inez has to overcome just to stay on an even keel and try to make sure Terry doesn't make the same mistakes she did. Some scenes are incredibly moving, mostly down to the superb work of Teyana Taylor.

The film is not without flaws, but for such an ambitious film early in Rockwell's career, she pulls it off well.

7.7/10

Started off a bit restless and lost, like I got what it was going for but it felt like something was missing, that changes as the film continues to build. As the time periods change and the characters grow it all comes together in a really impressive debut.