We’re in the age of the superhero movie. Batman, Superman, Batman vs. Superman, Wonder Woman, The Avengers, Deadpool, Fantastic Four, Thor, Spiderman, Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain America, Iron Man, Black Widow, the list goes on and on… and on.
Short Term 12 is also a movie about superheroes but they don’t wear capes or tights. The group home staff in Short Term 12 are true heroes, seeking neither fame nor fortune. They work with those who have been discarded by society, those who have been rejected by their own families or maybe even never had a family in the first place.
While this story doesn’t feature explosions or aliens, it is nevertheless a story worthy of your attention. It does have villains. Some might even say it has monsters, who are the all more terrifying because they are real.
I’ve worked in a group home like this in the past. I served a role very similar to the staff in this movie. Not as a trained counselor or therapist, but someone there to spend positive time with the kids and be sure they are safe. My experiences were similar to those depicted in the movie, although not as severe. In fact, the moments that resonated most with me were the quieter moments, the conversations where you try to convince someone to do their homework or get out of bed.
There were also the conversations I still remember clearly today, the ones where the kids were ready to give up, where they saw no way out. I can remember the pain in a young boy’s voice as he opened up about being abandoned and how alone he felt. I remember the desperate attempts to connect from one girl who craved positive attention of any kind. I remember the physical destruction from growing young men who struggled to cope with the collision of their situation and the anger of adolescence.
Short Term 12 demonstrates all of this and more without a false note. We are so quick to identify teachers and veterans as heroes in society (even if we’re not willing to actually support them with adequate resources). However, it’s important to remember that there are other heroes, too. Some of them are young people barely holding it together themselves, but who get up every day and try to connect with those who make it almost impossible no matter how desperately they desire or need it. They are every bit as worthy of appreciation and respect as teachers, veterans, firefighters, and police.
You can watch Short Term 12 on Netflix now. It’s terrific and you should give it a chance even if you have to imagine the superhero costumes.
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