Stevie

I watched a really great movie the other night. It was called Stevie. I loved it and I am here to tell you that you should rent it. The director, Steve James, was a big brother to an 11 year old boy named Stevie. Stevie was a troubled kid. When he grew up he became a troubled man. This is Steve Jame's documentary about reconnecting with an older Stevie. It is rated 'R' for the language as well as the subject matter.
The first thing I did when I saw Stevie was laugh. Then when I met his girlfriend I laughed again. After reading the synopsis of the movie I figured it would be a pretty funny film about some down and out hicks. It didn't help that there may not be enough good teeth in Stevie's family to make an entire set. Not to mention Stevie seems to be the mold that Billy Bob Thornton's character in U-Turn was cast from. (Everyone should see that character but I don't recommend the movie) Once the film got into the details of Stevie's life I realized this wasn't a comedy and I wasn't going to get much mileage making fun of these people.
I am going to say this bluntly, but realize I am not trying to make excuses for a bad person, Stevie is a product of a system that failed him in every way. His mom decided she didn't want him and he was passed from institution to institution until he had been to every one in the state. Then they tossed him to correctional facility. The only time he ever did well was the few years he had an actual foster family. They provided the only thing that an institution can't but what these kids need most, the love of a family.
During the movie Stevie commits a crime. This is when the film really grabs hold. You realize that you are kind of stuck. You may not want to finish a film about this guy. By now you kind of like him. You know you shouldn't. You know he should go to prison and yet you don't want to see that happen. Stevie keeps saying "I ain't going to prison no matter what," while alluding to "other plans." No one wants to see a film where the main character commits suicide to avoid prison. That was my biggest fear at this point in the film. I know that he needs some kind of treatment but I'm not sure that prison will help him. There is this great scene where the director is asked what he would do if he had been affected by this crime. He had originally taken this scene out because he doesn't have much of an answer and he stutters around a lot. His editor made him keep it in and it is vital to the movie because it sums up exactly how I felt. The director can't bring himself to admit that he would want to punish Stevie or that he is guilty(remember this is right in front of Stevie.) But at the same time he knows Stevie is guilty. After stumbling to explain himself about 5 times he just says "I'm not ready to give up on Stevie yet."
My absolute favorite shot of the movie is in the courthouse at the very end. The camera lady almost missed it too. She points the camera up to the courtroom exit just in time to catch Stevie's fiance burst through the doors with her hands over her face. This was such a powerful scene but it is only made so because of the fiance's personality. She has some sort of developmental dissability or retardation or something. ( I make no attempt or apoplgy in regards to PCness) Like I said when I first saw her I laughed and said "Shanna check it out he is dating a retard." By the end of this film I realized I had really made an ass of myself. This girl is the most beautiful person in the film. When you get to see how much she is hurt by this and how she keeps a positive attitude about the entire thing. She isn't able to give up on Stevie either but she knows that she needs to move on. I can't really put my finger on it but there is something great about her.
Anyway go rent this movie. It moves a bit slow at first unless you enjoy making fun of people less fortunate than you. If you can stick it out for long enough sooner or later you will realize that this film has a hold on you. I liked this film for two reasons. It made me think and it made me feel.

P.S.
Make sure to check out these deleted scenes:
Stevie and the electric poles
Stevie's escape route