American Son

Washington displays a frantic state of mind while waiting for news of her missing son. She talks about facing racism and facing brutality and it creates an atmosphere that should make most viewers uncomfortable. What hurts the film is the one setting,the constant pushing back on revealing the truth. This movie says a lot in a short amount of time about wanting to make a difference and about compliance with outdated mentalities and ideals. It ends on an abrupt sad note and it's heartbreaking

I can see why some think this doesn't work as a film (hence the low ratings and bad reviews), but I found it to be a riveting piece and thought it was superbly acted,. It was a bit theatrical but this would not be the first time a film is made where all the action takes place in one room with 2 or 3 characters (My Dinner with Andre, Kiss of the Spider Woman). As a sidebar, I was distracted and annoyed with Carrie's constant gnarling, disgusted expression. I am wondering if it is a tic.