In one "school year", in a low-income neighborhood, 3 children, their single / separated parents, an Early Childhood Educator, and assorted minor characters interact. The cast is diverse in race, religion, and culture, and the children each have their own challenges.
The children range from pre-school to early elementary, and often have to amuse themselves. Their parents scramble to do the best for them, which may be inadequate. The ECE often plays social worker, even as her supervisor warns against getting personally involved.
I am less enthused with this movie than some other reviewers. I think a big weakness is having the original book author write the screenplay. Consequently, there are too many characters and scenes. Some should have been cut, including some of the interactions between the nail salon employees and clients. For the length, some extra character development in the children would be helpful.
Scarborough is an "inner suburb" of Toronto, an area where the poor tend to be pushed out to, as the city core has become gentrified. The time period is set when doctors still prescribed opioids, and Toronto East General Hospital had not been renamed (2015 or earlier). So it is jarring to see some nail salon employees consistently wearing surgical masks.
With a set of depressing scenarios, I also found the happy ending to be too much of a fantasy. Can a queer boy sing Whitney Houston's I Want to Dance with Somebody (with no gender change / neutralization) to great applause?
The children range from pre-school to early elementary, and often have to amuse themselves. Their parents scramble to do the best for them, which may be inadequate. The ECE often plays social worker, even as her supervisor warns against getting personally involved.
I am less enthused with this movie than some other reviewers. I think a big weakness is having the original book author write the screenplay. Consequently, there are too many characters and scenes. Some should have been cut, including some of the interactions between the nail salon employees and clients. For the length, some extra character development in the children would be helpful.
Scarborough is an "inner suburb" of Toronto, an area where the poor tend to be pushed out to, as the city core has become gentrified. The time period is set when doctors still prescribed opioids, and Toronto East General Hospital had not been renamed (2015 or earlier). So it is jarring to see some nail salon employees consistently wearing surgical masks.
With a set of depressing scenarios, I also found the happy ending to be too much of a fantasy. Can a queer boy sing Whitney Houston's I Want to Dance with Somebody (with no gender change / neutralization) to great applause?