Youngster

I tried watching YOUNGSTER twice. The first time, it just seemed so unpleasant that I soon turned it off and watched something else. However, about a week later I tried again--at only eight minutes, it was worth another try.

The film starts out with a young punk who looks to be about 13 going into a convenience store to buy a coke. Because he is a drug dealer, his smallest bill was a $20. Much of what happens after this is vulgar and gross--I'll just skip ahead a bit. A crack addict approaches him for a fix but he doesn't have the money on him. On a lark, the dealer follows him home to get the money. This all leads to a tragic ending.

This is a thoroughly unpleasant film that can't be recommended as a "feel good" movie, but this is due to the subject matter. However, if the film was intended to shock audiences (which I assume was the intention), then it worked. Seeing this little kid handling a gun, selling drugs and apparently without a conscience was emotionally draining and sad--and I know there are some kids just like this in the world. It really does make an impact--I'm just not sure who'd want to see it. Perhaps people who appreciated the Brazilian drug film, CITY OF GOD. Others will probably be like me initially and just turn it off and watch something pleasant.

I appreciate the film for what it was--a sad look into an already wasted life.