We Grown Now is the latest independent feature by Minhai Baig, whose previous film Hala was also about youths sorting out their uncertain lives in Chicago. I enjoyed that film, and I was moved by this one even more, perhaps because the actors are even more affecting this time around and you can sense Baig’s personal vision resonate once again. We Grown Now is a lyrical drama, one that echoes such films as Our Song and George Washington, which really transports you into a setting, and there is an authenticity to the social realism and a graceful amount of empathy that the characters are going through. It’s a film that is a reminder that there are so many more refreshing stories out there to be told, with different settings, and even more obstacles worth exploring in the human experience.
Baig explores both childhood and an exact setting here. For starters, the setting is the same setting we have seen before in tv and movies with Good Times and Candy Man. Cabrini-Green was once a place of opportunity and hope for the black community, but that deteriorated over time due to economic hardships and inequalities, poverty, and crime. The Chicago mayor and authorities would eventually demolish the buildings and sector and open upon luxurious apartments and condos with security for only wealthy Chicagoans to live in. Forcing more poor people to relocate from gentrification.
Courtesy Sony Pictures Classics
Baig also explores childhood and the loss of innocence from having to live under economic hardships. The film is a portrait of Malik (Blake Cameron James) and Eric (Gian Knight Ramirez). The two boys’ favorite activity is finding mattresses in abandoned apartments, and they use them as a form of a landing cushion for when they jump like their favorite NBA athletes.
With highly involving subplots, we are introduced to Malik’s apartment. He lives with his sister, Dolores (Jurnee Smollett), and his grandmother (S. Epatha Makerson). Smollett is absolutely wonderful as Malick’s mother. She works an office job, in which she pulls in extra shifts to support the family, and she has anxieties about losing her job to recent university graduates. Each night, she cooks dinner for the family, but they all yearn for different meals.
Courtesy Sony Pictures Classics
Tragically, a local kid in the neighborhood was gunned down near the apartment complex. Forcing the complex management and Chicago authorities, led by Chicago’s mayor Richard Daley, to place strict curfews and random raids in late hours. This is a terrifying contrast to Malik and Eric’s childhood activities, where they play outside, jump, and watch people at the Field Museum on Lake Shore Drive. They are told they can’t play outside, and both Malik and Erik end up finding activities in the complex. Meanwhile, Erik tries to impress his father, who makes his money at a local pizzeria, but he feels like he can never live up to his studies and schoolwork. Erik and Malik’s friendship is what holds their existence together.
Their bond is put in jeopardy once Malik’s mother gets a promotion at her job with better pay and benefits, but she will have to relocate to Peoria. Once these events occur in the film, you realize as a viewer that you are watching real challenges that many people go through every day. This is a type of film that understands everyday realities—that life is about changes, farewells, and hopeful opportunities.
There are so many moving moments in the film involving Dolores and Malik’s grandmother talking about how her decision to move will benefit everyone, including the children. In another endearing moment, Malik’s grandmother reminisces about what life was like in the 1940s in Cabrini-Green. Seeing Erik be frightened that his best friend will potentially be moving rings true to anyone who has had to deal with moving away from a close childhood best friend. This is a testament to the actors and their vivid performances in the film.
Courtesy Sony Pictures Classics
We Grown Now is naturalistic and luminous. The film is content with its empathy, and it captures the essence of the human experience, which gives audiences refreshing perspectives and settings. The film is observant and insightful for these young boys and their families. It’s a wonderful journey into childhood, in a setting that is often painted with headline terror. Both woozy and stylistic, this is a very small indie film that does some very grand things both emotionally and visually.
WE GROWN NOW is now playing in limited theater
Glad it’s pretty good! Looking forward to it 😀
Saw this late last year s a screener for the Independent Spirit Awards. Moving tale of 2 best friends living in the Chicago projects, Good exploration of childhood and growing up in not so ideal situation. The two young actors that ply Malik and Eric are excellent. 3.5 of 4 stars.
Explorations of youth in poverty always get me nervous. May check out when it comes around.
Looks interesting! I’ll have to check it out!
This film looks promising. I have to see it. The cinematography part looks warm and subtle. I believe the acting and the storyline looks good.
Great review!
Great review .sounds like an interesting film about childhood situations and dealing with losses of things you enjoy doing .
Great review love learning about movies from this site
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