YES Cinemas Movie Night Review #8: Boyz n the Hood

Introduction

Released in 1991 Boyz n the Hood continues to evoke and convey powerful emotions and messages nearly 30 years after. At just 23 years old John Singleton made his debut with the timeless movie that was nominated for “Best Director” and “Best Original Screenplay” during the 1991 Academy Awards. Deemed culturally and historically significant in 2002, the US Library of Congress selected the film for preservation in the National Film Registry. The film is a passionate drama, shot with fluency and style and touches on almost every aspect of the young black male psyche growing up in the LA ghettos capturing what life was like for black Americans growing up and living in low income neighborhoods in a world filled with drugs, violence, and poverty. As a representation of America during the late 1900’s there was scenes of drugs and tobacco, specifically cigarettes. The film did cast drugs as a negative but kept the use of tobacco subtle. This review will analyze the movie and how its scenes of drugs and tobacco can affect the audience.

Set in a time when America was dealing with rampant racism, and citizens particularly black Americans, who resided in what is considered the ghettos or “hood” lived in a world that was filled with drugs, violence, and poverty. The film, and is meticulously detailed because the writer and director, John Singleton, grew up on these very streets. The film follows the lives of 3 young black males living in the Crenshaw ghetto of Los Angeles, capturing what it really was and is like for youth living in at risk neighborhoods.

What is Boyz n the Hood About?

Boyz n the Hood centers around Tre Styles (Cuba Gooding Jr.) who is a is bright young, black adolescent being raised by his mother, Reva Styles (Angela Bassett). After Tre gets into another fight at school Reva   decides that her son needs a father figure to teach him discipline and reasonability, so she sends him to live with his father Jason “Furious” Styles (Laurence Fishburne) in the Crenshaw ghetto of Los Angles. Furious, through stern, is a loving father and teaches Tre values to grow up to be a proper citizen while protecting him from the booming drug and gang culture in the neighborhood. Jason is a mortgage broker and Vietnam veteran who has lived his whole life in the ghettos. He has seen the effects that poverty, violence, and drugs have on the people living there, especially young boys and men. The film also focuses heavily on the Baker family, the opposite end of the black familial spectrum. Brenda Baker has 2 sons, Ricky Morris Chestnut) and Doughboy (Ice Cube). The 2 stepbrothers are friends with Tre, but they don’t have a strong male role model to keep them in line. Ricky is able to avoid trouble due to his aspirations to get a scholarship and play professional football, but Doughboy falls prey to the life of crime and drugs as he becomes a member of the Crip gang. Despite this the audience can see that Doughboy is a decent person with good morals but due to circumstance is caught up in the world of violence and drugs much like many other youths living in a toxic environment. Audience members see the lives of the 3 young boys and the difficult decisions that they must make as they too get involved in violence, drugs, and murder.

Was Drug Use or Smoking Present in the Film?

There was extensive exposure of drugs and smoking shown. There were scenes where it showed Doughboy and his friends just hanging out drinking and smoking. There were also numerous times that drugs were mentioned in the movie. Additionally, Jason and Brenda Baker was shown to be smoking a cigar or cigarette quite a few times. However, these scenes were relevant to the setting of the movie and to the overall message.

Drug use in the movie

How Is This Film Influencing Viewers?

Though use of drugs and smoking is present numerous times in the movie for the most part they were shown in a negative light. The film captured how drugs can lead to violence as we see Doughboy get involved in that life and face problems with the law. On the other hand, the individuals who are trying to escape the ghettos and live a better life, Tre, his mother, and Ricky are never shown to be involved with smoking or drugs. Rather they are focusing on saving up money, pursuing a higher education and that is a great message for youth and adults. Just because everyone around you is doing something or most people give up on a better life doesn’t mean you have to as well. It can be argued that Jason is portrayed to look cool, calm and collected while smoking but the movie does a great job showing that it’s not something, he is proud of. He mentions that he wish he made better decisions, but it is what it is and there is a sense that he feels trapped in the world. Though it displays drugs and smoking I believe it isn’t encouraging the use of the substances but rather is showing them that substance abuse is dangerous and can lead down terrible pathways for oneself and their loved ones.

Personal Opinion

Boyz n the Hood is one of the more powerful movies that I have seen in my life. It forces the audience to challenge how poorer communities in North America face hardships, and how the people who live there are highly prone to having a life filled with bloodshed, drugs, and constant poverty for generations to come. The movie does an excellent job of portraying a realistic life for a group of young boys and shows how one’s decisions can affect them in the long run. It’s a great movie to show youth that are entering their early teens to inform them and make them questions their decisions, their friendships, and how they carry themselves for years to come. The movie tackled many controversial topics in an era where media wasn’t discussing such issues. It pioneered many of the films that were made subsequently regarding racism, gentrification, and other social issues that have and still affect North America. I highly recommend watching it.

Written By: BCS Youth Leader

YES Cinemas Movie Night Review 7: 3 Idiots

Introduction

Three Idiots is a 2009 Indian coming-of-age comedy-drama film co-written (with Abhijat Joshi) and directed by Rajkumar Hirani, starring Aamir Khan, R. Madhavan, Sharman Joshi, Kareena Kapoor, Boman Irani and Omi Vaidya. Produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra under the banner Vinod Chopra Films, this movie received critical and commercial success upon its release on December 25, 2009. The film was the highest-grossing film in its opening weekend in India, had the highest opening day collections for an Indian film up until that point and also held the record for the highest net collections in the first week for a Bollywood film. The film won six Filmfare Awards including Best Film and three National Film Awards including Best Popular Film. The story was loosely based on Five Point Someone by Chetan Bhagat.

What is Three Idiots about

This film takes place in two different time frames, the present and ten years in the past. In the present Farhan receives a call from Chatur, while on a departing plane, claiming that he had found Rancho. Farhan then fakes a heart attack to get off the plane and picks up Raju in his way to meet Chatur at their old college campus. Chatur reveals that Rancho is in Shimla and the trio head out to get their friend. As they drive, the other time frame is revealed in the form of flashbacks. In this second time frame, the past, Farhan, Raju, Rancho, and Chatur attend the very prestigious Imperial College of Engineering (ICE) in Delhi. This time frame follows the four students as they go through school and eventually graduate. This film is a satire of the social pressures of the Indian education system.

Was drug or alcohol present in the film

There were no drugs present in the movie; however there was one scene in which alcohol was consumed. The scene in the student's senior year as they drunkenly break into the Yo Sahastrabuddhe household so that Rancho can propose to Pia. The seen ends in Virus the director of the school recognizing Raju and threatening to expel him unless he writes a letter exposing Rancho as being involved in the break-in. In order to not betray Rancho or disappoint his family (by getting expelled), Raju attempts suicide and ends up in a coma. This scene is very relevant to the situation as drinking in college and university is very common. On top of this, altho it is not depicted in the movie, the use of cigarettes and  chewing tobacco is also a common occurrence in South Asia and is often depicted in many other Bollywood movies. Aside from this one scene, there are no other depictions of drugs or alcohol in the movie.

How is this film influencing viewers

This film does not seem to encourage the use of drugs or alcohol, as the only scene involving alcohol results in very devastating consequences (Raju ending up in a coma). There is no scene depicting drugs or alcohol as “cool” or as having any good effects. There are many other Bollywood movies, however, that include smoking and chewing tobacco, which unfortunately normalize the behavior of doing so. The fact that this movie doesn't depict tobacco usage may have been a factor in how successful this movies was.

Personal Opinion

In my opinion, the movie was a good comedy that was generally enjoyable. I however did not find the movie to be as enjoyable as others often say it is, the movie was very long and some of the comedy scenes were crude and not very enjoyable. The only alcohol scene showed the negative impacts of drinking so the movie does not encourage anyone to drink alcohol or use drugs. Most other people did seem to enjoy it so I would recommend it.

(Hassan Karim, Youth Leader)

YES Cinemas Movie Night Review 6: Hidden Figures

Introduction

When you combine the Space War, three brilliant women, and their fight to overcome complex social issues that are still relevant today, you end up with the film Hidden Figures. Directed by Theodore Melfi, the critically acclaimed film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture and has won multiple other awards, rightfully so. This inspiring and exciting story showcases one of the greatest moments in American history through the eyes of African American characters and finally sheds some light on those who made history silently.

What is Hidden Figures about?

Based on a true story, Hidden Figures follows the lives of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson, three brilliant African American women, who work at NASA to assist in providing calculations for several historic space missions. Set in the early 1960s during the height of the Civil Rights movement as well as the Space Race, the film intertwines the social issues of racism and sexism to produce a heartwarming and relevant movie. Katherine, a mathematician, is selected to take part in a special task force working to launch astronaut John Glenn into space. Between having to travel half a mile each time she needs to use the bathroom, not being given access to the data she needs for her calculations, and having to drink out of a segregated coffee pot, Katherine struggles to find a voice among her all white, all male co-workers who are often dismissing and demeaning towards her. Dorothy, who has been acting as an unofficial supervisor for the colored group at NASA is told time and time again that she will not be promoted despite being qualified and respected among the other workers. Mary is assigned to the “Space Capsule Heat Shield” team when she decides she wants to be an engineer. This serves as a problem as the only way to do so would be through completing a course which is only offered at a segregated school. The stories of the three women are tightly intertwined as they find strength in each other and their community in overcoming their hardships.

Was drug use or smoking present in the film?

There were no drugs present in the movie, however there was a short scene in which alcohol was consumed. The scene takes place after Mary Jackson is told she must take “advanced extension courses” in order to become an engineer for NASA, but discovers she is unable to as the only school that offers them is segregated. As the three women sit around a dining table playing cards, Mary continues to rant about her situation until Dorothy leaves the room only to return with alcohol in a glass jar. The scene cuts to a drunk Mary dancing while Katherine and Dorothy bake and ends with all three of the ladies dancing. Aside from this one scene, there are no other depictions of drugs or alcohol in the movie.

How is the film influencing viewers?

Due to very minimal substance use in the movie, the audience is not likely to be swayed by the portrayal. This allows the movie to focus on the showcasing various other ways the three women struggle with and overcome the racism and sexism they face. The main takeaway viewers can get from this movie is the sense of community and support present between the characters. The three main women are often seen looking out for one another. If one has to stay late at work, the others wait for her in the parking lot so that they can all ride home together. When the new IBM machine threatens to leave all the computers unemployed, Dorothy steps up to teach all the women in the Colored Section how to program the system ensuring they remained employed even after it started running. When Director Harrison learns of Katherine’s bathroom situation, he quickly takes action tearing down the colored sign. It is inspiring to see how the characters lift each other up and leaves viewers feeling positive and hopeful throughout the movie.

My thoughts

Personally, I loved the film. Seeing three strong women of color leading a film that highlighted their brains and their work was refreshing to see. The social complexities discussed in the movie are still relevant to this day and I appreciate that the movie showed these issues on a spectrum. The plot was exciting and showcased a good mix of both the professional and personal lives of the women. Being able to see Dorothy with her children at the library or Mary discussing attending school with her husband made the characters more relatable and realistic. Each of the characters were layered, there was no good or bad, just development. In my opinion, the one scene showcasing alcohol consumption was unnecessary. Although the scene was short and many people do turn to alcohol during times of frustration, making the scene realistic, I do believe they could have portrayed alternative ways to deal with frustration. Personally, I don’t believe the alcohol added any value and the scene would have been just as effective if the girls were just dancing to relieve stress instead. Overall, the movie was fantastic and puts you in a good mood and I highly recommend it.

(Shairi Islam, Youth Leader)

YES Cinemas Movie Night Review 5: Hidden Figures

Introduction

Chosen by the National Board of Review as one of the top ten films of 2016 and nominated for three Oscar nominations, Hidden Figures does not fail to wow the crowds as a spectacular film. Diving back into the past and showing the audience the sensational drama that entailed the race to get to space by United States and Russia. Along with the nail-biting intensity and suspense, the film reflects a true story and showcased adversities faced by women in the STEM field as well as being persons of colour at the time (1960s). With respect to the time-period, the film obviously contained drug use, we will further dissect the specifics and see to what extent it was present in the film and how it would affect the audience.

What is Hidden Figures about?

This film revolves around the struggles faced by three black women in the STEM field who work for NASA in the 1960s. Katherine Johnson, a brilliant mathematician, along with her colleagues Dorothy Vaughan a NASA supervisor and Mary Jackson a NASA engineer must fight against sexism, misogyny, and racism during the civil rights movement, at a time of intense competition between USA and Russia for space flight – known as the Space Race, when the country should be unified in their efforts toward space flight. The women must jump through hoop after hoop laid before them by society and the NASA administration themselves to succeed in their career fields. The film shows that we are not all born equal and that there are certain privileges that people take for granted – its essentially like going through life with one arm tied behind your back. At a time when segregation was normal and adopted everywhere in the US, persons of colour, such as the main characters of this film must work extra hard just to match their Caucasian colleagues and neighbours. Not to mention the additional challenges faced by women – especially in a STEM field. Nonetheless, the main characters fought through barriers in promotions, segregated washrooms (half a mile away), and even segregated coffee-makers, to reign supreme and show America that when the citizens of a country unite and work together, extraordinary things can be achieved – such as flying to Earth’s orbit and eventually beyond that.

Katherine, Mary, and Dorothy pictured left to right as well as the actors that portrayed them

Drug use and smoking in the film

There was no drug use except for one instance of alcohol consumption during a friendly get-together between the three friends. They were drinking home-made whisky as a way to drown out their pain and struggles faced at their workplaces and imposed by society in general. During this singular instance, Mary ended up drinking most of the whisky and relieved her stress by dancing with her friends and letting loose. Other than that, the film did not contain any other drug use, and only focused on what is important – the struggles faced by the main characters.

African-American women during the Civil Rights movement

Influence of the film on viewers and my thoughts

Due to the minimal use of drugs in this film, the main message of the film – fighting against racism and sexism, could be better highlighted and conveyed to the audience. The viewers are left with a positive feeling and hope that if you persevere and fight for what is right and what is fair, you will eventually get your way and receive proper acknowledgement for your hard work and dedication – regardless of whether you are black, white, a man, or a woman. As for the one instance of drug use, it had a very minimal effect, but may be interpreted as a means to cope with racism, sexism, and any type of adversity or challenge. Viewers may then interpret alcohol consumption as a reasonable means to cope with modern day racism, and sexism – which is still highly prevalent today, with police brutality against persons of colour on the rise and the highly unfair and prejudiced mentality that today’s society has against them.

All in all, I think the film did an excellent job in showing the audience what it was like for the actual heroes or “Hidden Figures” behind the first space flight ‘Space Race’ against Russia and how working together with people possessing diverse skillsets can be a great advantage. Also, that dedication and perseverance go a long way for achieving success. In my opinion, due to the minimal use of drugs in the film, and the positive messages it spreads, the film is an excellent choice for youths and even some children with the proper guidance from their parents and guardians.

(Abir Islam, Youth Leader)

YES Cinemas Movie Night Review 4: Good Will Hunting

Introduction

Winning two out of nine Academy Award nominations, Good Will Hunting presents one of the best and unique coming of age films of the past three decades. With numerous intense and heart-wrenching scenes spread across the movie, it is no secret why this film has found so much success. These scenes were also equally matched with subtle and not-so-subtle displays of cigarette addiction. It is important for viewers to remain conscious of the role of cigarettes in films to analyze whether they are being displayed in a positive or negative manner, and how it may influence them in real life. 

What is Good Will Hunting about?

Good Will Hunting, written by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck who also star in the film, follows a troubled young Will Hunting who is a part-time janitor and full-time genius. After assaulting a police officer, he finds himself in an agreement to study advanced mathematics with a reputable professor at MIT, while also becoming a client of a therapist. Hunting battles themes of love, failure, and finding meaning in his life. One of the main concepts the movie highlights is how finding purpose is not always equitable to climbing the social ladder or advancing a career, but can also be presented in the form of developing strong relationships with others. Hunting’s choices, although questionable at times, derive from a place where many viewers can empathize. Due to a difficult upbringing, he continuously battles an inner voice until he learns to accept that it’s not his fault and he should take the opportunities he is presented instead of destroying them in fear of potential failure or pain. Hunting’s character development by the end leaves us rooting for him for all aspects of his life.

Was drug use or smoking present in the film?

There was no drug use presented in the film, however smoking was heavily prevalent. Many characters, Will Hunting and his friends in particular, can be seen smoking throughout the film. Hunting is seen smoking while he is detained and in handcuffs, at his first therapy session, and at his friend’s house while watching television. During his second therapy session, Hunting begins to put a cigarette between his lips until his therapist says “no smoking” and he obliges with a dissatisfied sigh. For the remainder of the session they sit in complete silence, counting the seconds until the hour is complete. Hunting can be seen smoking in diverse situations, whether he is comfortable or uncomfortable and in social or isolated scenes. Therefore, it can be assumed that he is addicted to cigarettes and reaching for a cigarette is a reflex for him regardless of the environment. His friends are also seen casually smoking and drinking at the bar, while Chuckie is telling a story to Skylar. Although smoking is prevalent, it is seen in a generally neutral light and diminished to simply being a prop. 

Robin Williams as Will’s therapist

How is the film influencing viewers?

In terms of smoking, the cigarette is essentially used a prop to build on Will Hunting’s character. He is a troubled orphan and thus in a very stereotypical fashion, it makes sense that his character would be constantly smoking, drinking, and getting in to acts of violence. On the other hand, Hunting is a misunderstood 20-year-old who cares about his friends. The cigarette is normalized in the movie, which on some level, albeit minor, may influence viewers negatively and encourage them to take on Matt Damon’s representation of the character in real life. Hunting and his friends are seen casually smoking, which may impact how “natural” smoking is viewed, similar to many other Hollywood films. However, the film still makes a point to include the therapy session where his constant smoking is highlighted and he is simply told “no smoking,” which were the only two words spoken throughout the entire session.  

My thoughts

Overall, I genuinely enjoyed watching Good Will Hunting. The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) has given it an official rating of R mostly due to profane language. In terms of alcohol, drugs, and smoking, the film was rated mild. Many other sources have recommended age restrictions of 13+ or 15+ . I think the film is fine for younger audiences as long as they are aware of the consequences of smoking. Being knowledgeable on the harmful effects of smoking can serve as a subtle deterrent when cigarettes are being displayed in a casual manner on their screens. 

(Fariha Khan, Youth Leader)

YES Cinemas Movie Night Review 3: Fight Club

Fight Club is a great movie that any 80s kid should be able to tell you about and even though it pertains to a more mature audience and even has a story that would confuse the ordinary viewer, the movie is a classic. This movie is not for the faint of heart and deals with content that may be too gruesome for some, however this is a movie that most people will not forget and is a spectacle to remember.

What’s Fight Club all about?

Fight Club is a 1999 Hollywood movie starring Brad Pitt and Edward Albert Norton that revolves around an underground fight club for men. As the group becomes bigger they fight against an established order and a mission named Project Mayhem ensues. Tyler Durden, the main Character helps build this organization and soon Fight Clubs open all around the city. The wrongdoing of the fight club soon have dire consequences and it is up to Tyler to deal with all the damages. Fight Club teaches us that we all have a battle to deal with and it is up to us to be the masters of our own domain. No matter what is going on in our lives, we are the ones who determine the course of our lives and ultimately we decide what our purpose is. The end message pertains to how we live our lives and what we do with it.

Fight Club movie promotion poster (1999)

Influence of Drugs in the film:

Drugs are not very relevant in this film however tobacco is highly relevant in this film. Marla the main heroin in the film, is an avid smoker and constantly relies on the use of tobacco. In many scenes Marla is shown smoking and even though Marla and Jack attend testicular cancer workshops and many other illness circles, the thought of lung cancer does not cross Marla’s mind, nor does the consequences seem to bother her.

Effect on Audience

Influence of smoking may seem to have adverse effect on the average considering how, a variety of other illness are prevalent in the beginning of the film, and some of the characters show the dire consequences of these certain illnesses. Since the film already shows the negative side of these illnesses, smoking would also lead to dire consequences and viewers would be able to relate to the repercussions of tobacco and the chemicals that affect our body. A statement from the Business insider shows that extrinsic motivation may stop people from smoking such as reward groups or cash incentives. Also the fear of acquiring illnesses may be enough to persuade a viewer to not start smoking at all.

Brad Pitt (left) and Edward Norton (right) portraying the main characters in the film (1999)

My Thoughts

Fight Club was a very enjoyable movie that had never left me bored even for a moment. I was captivated and intrigued by the story and plot, and would recommend this movie to my friends to watch. Even though there is mature content, it adds to the story and those that are okay with such content would find this movie suitable and enjoyable. At the end of the day we all have problems and demons to battle with and how we counteract them in our lives is something that we all do. It is important to deal with the problems we have in live and take a step forward in the right direction.

(Rafsan Kabir, Youth Leader)

YES Cinemas Movie Night Review 1: Shawshank Redemption

Shawshank Redemption is one of Hollywood’s most critically acclaimed and famous movies, we like to think that it spreads a great message and is morally extraordinary. However, is it truly as inspiring as we believe it is? The reality is that Shawshank Redemption is a movie built around the consumption and sale of drug products.

Andrew Dufresne (left) & Ellis Boyd "Red" Redding (right)

Brief Summary Of Film

To give a quick summary of the film, the plot regards a young man named Andy Dufresne, a banker who was convicted for his wife and her secret lover’s murder. However, as the movie Andy progresses we find out that Andy had been wrongfully arrested as he hadn’t committed the crime. The film follows Andy through his two life terms in prison. Andy makes a friend in the cruel and unforgiving prison nicknamed “Red”, who is known as “the man who gets things”. Soon enough Andy begins to prove himself as a worthy and powerful man in prison as he begins doing taxes and banking work for the prison authorities. He eventually ends up working as the financial assistant of the Warden of the prison. The movie ends with Andy escaping the prison after finding out that the Warden had betrayed and used him. Years later, when Red had finally been released he tracked down Dufresne in Mexico (with much difficulty), and the two friends reunited.

Where Was Drug Use Present In The Film?

Unfortunately, drug use and abuse is extremely prevalent in this film. Red’s character is built around his tobacco business. Red is the man gets things for his fellow inmates by selling cigarettes. Cigarettes are constantly used in the film for bets and trading. For example at one point in the film, Andy asks Red for a rock hammer. Red uses cigarettes to pay his connections from outside to obtain the hammer. This scene can show just how naturally cigarettes are used in this film. In this way one of the main characters in the film as well as the story itself is affected by drug sale. In addition, almost every scene of the movie includes cigarette consumption. Cigarettes are being smoked in almost every scene in the film. Therefore the story and the characters in Shawshank Redemption are deeply involved and affected by drug consumption.

How Is This Film Influencing Viewers?

Hollywood hasn’t had the best influence on children and youth as we all know, and Shawshank Redemption is no exception. Due to the repetitive involvement of drug abuse in this film, youth are influenced and led to believe that drug use is acceptable and normal for everyone. Cigarettes are smoked so nonchalantly in the film that young people are persuaded that drug use is common. Also, cigarettes are used as a form of currency for bets and trades in Shawshank. This can glorify drugs and make them seem precious and valuable, making youth want to get their hands on them. Not to mention, in one scene of the film, Andy even asks for alcohol in return for doing a prison guards financial work. This scene portrays alcohol as a reward and something we should not be deprived of.

(Actress Julie Newmar, 1962 Smirnoff advertisement)

Was Drug Use Necessary In This Film?

Many may argue that drug abuse is vital to this film and that it makes up the storyline. However, I don’t feel that it was necessary at all and that the filmmakers could have made the same blockbuster movie without involving drugs. Cigarette use was added to the film to develop Red’s character and to allow him to be the “man who gets things”. A form of currency was required for Red’s business. Nevertheless, the currency could have been anything small and easy to access. For instance, instant ramen and small snack foods were and still are an extremely popular form of prison currency. These items would have been a more practical and harmless alternative to cigarettes. I’m sure the makers of Shawshank Redemption were aware that youth would make up a large portion of their audience, and could have easily decreased the amount of unnecessary cigarette and alcohol abuse in the film. One small decision can influence many and change our youth and society for the better.

My Thoughts

I thought that Shawshank Redemption lived up to it’s name, it covered a variety of universal themes including freedom, life, death, love, and hope. It was a truly emotional and touching film. One of my favourite things about Shawshank has to be the character development, we started off not knowing anything about Andy and all the other prison inmates. However, as the movie progressed we got to know almost everything about these people and sincerely felt connected to them. It was a rollercoaster of emotions to follow Andy’s journey, watching this film was a great experience. Yet  despite the fact that I loved this movie so much, I don’t think I would recommend it to everyone. Shawshank Redemption is a film with mature themes and like I mentioned before, it doesn’t have the best influence on viewers. It contains inappropriate language and scenes as well as drug use and abuse. Therefore, if I were to recommend this movie to anyone I would recommend to it young adults and older. I say this as teens are easily influenced and this movie wouldn’t make the best impact on us.

(Naomi Monower, Youth Leader)