Short Term 12 – 5.5

This movie about troubled youths in…exactly what kind of facility?…exposed my lack of empathy, as I didn’t find myself caring about anyone on-screen. Brie Larson had a Cate Blanchett-type role, but as much as I enjoyed watching her I couldn’t believe her character. First, she was absurdly perfect and self-controlled as a counselor tending to very trying kids; then, of a sudden, we were told of her troubled youth and her struggles became the belated focus. The story itself was right up there with The Spectacular Now for absence of originality.