SPOILER ALERT! (kinda, idk)
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First we meet Brittany. Her home is covered in snow and that's how she describes taking a shower in her home. Like a bunch of snow just hitting you in the face. My heart is already broken at this point and it doesn't mend for the rest of the film. Her family eats almost nothing but $2 pizzas because that's really all they can afford and she yells at herself because she's embarrassed about how she looks from not eating healthy foods. Ugh.
We then meet Kaylie, a 9 year old who spends all her free time collecting cans for PENNIES. PENNIES PEOPLE. Ugh this baby doesn't even get to be a child because shes either dangerously (she almost crawls into an abandoned building with collapsed floors) searching for scrap aluminum or shes distracting herself from the hunger rumbling in her belly. We meet her mom and her brother and my heart fell to pieces as her mom broke down about this life "never getting better". She's essentially like what's the point and with depression whispering in her ear that this is never getting any better? What kind of life is that to live? If my heart wasn't already disintegrated at this point Kaylie's family has to take her dog Nala to the pound. On the way there she's got Nala in a choke hold hugging her and you can see the heartbreak in both sets of eyes. Kaylie writes "I love you Nala" in the rain fogged window and I lost it. Kaylie mentions on her door steps that she thinks maybe her mom made a wrong turn and did something to deserve this. NO ONE DESERVES THIS.
The last family we meet includes Jasmine and her older brother Jonny. Their family lives in a shelter and the siblings are incredibly embarrassed about this. Children should not have to feel embarrassed about who they are or what's going on in their lives. At this point, I was furious and ready to lace up my metaphorical boots and save every single poverty stricken child in this country. HOW CAN WE AS A COUNTRY IGNORE THIS?! Towards the end of the film 14 year old Jonny talks about his passion for football. He then goes on to mention that he's "14 and [his] life is almost over". Excuse me what? This child is fourteen years old and thinks not only that he is almost out of opportunities but that his life is over.
This movie was so SO SO powerful. I feel exhausted and so heartbroken and hopeless and furious and selfish.
I just watched the trailer and my heart broke just from that :( I am going to watch the full film later today and i am preparing myself for the anger that will come from it. It is so sad that anyone, especially these young children are going through this. I wish i could personally help all 3 of these children and all the other children going through similar things. Makes me think about bullying and I know a lot of judgement occurs because of material things and its sad that children have to deal with that at school, as if home life isn't hard enough.. ugh makes me realize how fortunate i actually am.
ReplyDeleteI've seen this documentary a couple of times for other classes and it never gets easier to watch. The little girl having to take her dog to the pound really hit home for me, as well as seeing her grow up in a town with nothing to offer. I hope one day situations like this become a scarcity instead of an epidemic. It will take people like us who are aware of what's happening and serious about it to eradicate this sickness.
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