This is a very good movie with a bittersweet story and great acting. The only bone I have to pick is the fact that they put the young actor “in the corner” very early in the movie and I thought he brought a great energy to the young trio of actors. Of course, the two little girls were sublime but he brought something different and I feel like I was deprived of that. The adult actors were good too and Im happy that Dafoe got an Oscar nomination for this stripped-down performance. 7-7.5/10
I enjoyed it, too. I know it's unlikely with a film like this, but I wouldn't mind a sequel of sorts to revisit these characters. If anything the movie felt a bit like it could be a pilot for a series.
the movie felt a bit like it could be a pilot for a series.
Wonderful idea!!!
What's also interesting is how HBO has a SERIES called WESTWORLD where RICH FOLKS spend their time inside of AMUSEMENT PARKS where they pay to ABUSE characters who are the HOSTS of the THEME PARKS (parks which are also based upon several different Periods from History ... such as the American WILD WEST, The ROARING 20's, etc.).
Then the Abused HOSTS REBEL against their mistreatment and place those who abused them into PARKS where the former ABUSERS then get abused.
So for that reason one could also imagine a FUTURE where the same kind of thing might take place. Where those who now ABUSE others for their AMUSEMENT would then be placed into PARKS where those who were formerly ABUSIVE would then get ABUSED for the AMUSEMENT of the others that they ABUSED.
And perhaps a way to do that would be to also ARREST the MEN who were also just as GUILTY of PROSTITUTION charges, and FORCE them to work as part of the CLEAN UP CREW as part of their COMMUNITY SERVICE when they got sentenced for their crimes???
Because weren't they also CAUGHT on TAPE as well as the other girl ???
So WHY is it only the girl who is PUNISHED for her crime and not the other 10 guys as well???
Since it's been at least a couple of years now since watching the story, can't recall anymore exactly what took place ...
but shouldn't the person that she had sex with while the kid's in the same room also be arrested as well for indecently exposing themself in front of a child???
Because again, no one is getting arrested. She is just getting her kid taken away for this plus a number of other reasons (drug use, assaulting another tenant, stealing, etc.)
Just watched the film again today and you are WRONG to say "no one is getting arrested," because she was most definitely being arrested (which is why they were there to place her daughter into another different home).
And the reason why she's getting arrested is because the mother of other kid that her daughter played with turned her in. And the reason why we know this is because her son (the young boy) told the girl that she was going to another home to live (which he also wouldn't know about unless his mother is the one who told the cops about the prostitution).
And since the cops also said that they found info posted on the internet that advertised sex for sale (which included photos and her phone no), we also know she was being taken to jail. Plus they also said they had VIDEO of at least 9 different men entering her room (due to the way the motel where she stays had cameras everywhere).
And the reason why her former friend turned her in is because she went to her asking for RENT money again, then BEAT the CRAP out of the girl (after she refused to give it to her ... because she also told her that she and everyone else who lived there knew about her selling herself ... which also meant she didn't need the rent money that she asked for).
So what most likely happened is the former friend calls the cops to file assault charges (the girl also had a badly swollen face and black eye ... which probably also means she couldn't work as a waitress like that). Then the cops wanted to know the reason for the attack ... which leads to the fight that they had over the rent money ... and the other girl not needing it due to the money that she got from prostitution.
So in addition to the prostitution charges, she's probably also being arrested for ASSAULT charges as well.
And her daughter also wasn't in the same room when she had sex with the men. Because she was taking a bath in the bathroom where she plays with her dolls and other toys (while the radio is also playing loud hip hop songs so she can't hear what's going on in the other room).
The reason why no charges would be made for stealing is because the 1,700 bucks worth of DISNEY TICKETS that she took from the man she screws for money (tickets which she sells to another man for four hundred bucks), were taken from his bag while he was in her room.
And the reason why the man having sex with her had so many tickets was because they were for his wife and kids to use. So of course, he's not going to file charges against her for that reason and risk also going to jail and having his wife find out what he'd been doing.
Anyhow, she was definitely being ARRESTED at the end of the story or prostitution. And it also wasn't the first time that she'd been arrested either. Because when she got in trouble for selling perfume and ran away from the security guard, she also told her daughter that she didn't want to be arrested AGAIN.
So that also brings us right back to the other question put forth 2 years ago about why weren't the MEN who were caught on VIDEO TAPE entering her motel room also ARRESTED as well:
weren't they also CAUGHT on TAPE as well as the other girl ???
So WHY is it only the girl who is PUNISHED for her crime and not the other 10 guys as well???
I did not need all that explanation, I just watched the film and understand everything. What you don't understand is that she was not arrested. You giving me reasons WHY she should be arrested does not mean she was actually arrested. Child protective services was investigating her because for all the reasons you mentioned above and more, they did not feel that she was capable of raising her daughter safely. CPS does not arrest you. They were there to take away her daughter, and only that. There are two police officers present in case something goes awry; the only thing they do is briefly restrain her when she starts causing a scene and then run off when the daughter runs away. SHE. WAS. NOT. ARRESTED.
What you overlook is the FACT that Halley had been ARRESTED before. This is why she runs away from the security guard who takes her perfume and threatens to call the cops on her for selling it.
And having been arrested before most likely also means she's probably on PROBATION for whatever she was arrested for before. So that would also mean she'd be arrested again for violations of her probation (which would also include the ASSAULT charges and the prostitution).
Since they show up to take Moonee away the day after the assault, and the young boy KNOWS Moonee is going to another home to live, that also indicates HIS MOTHER called and reported Halley to them.
And his mother's SWOLLEN FACE and her BLACK EYE are also evidence that the BEATING took place. And the PHOTO ADVERTISEMENT on the CELL PHONE and the other TAPES the MOTEL have are also EVIDENCE of the prostitution.
Therefore the INVESTIGATION that takes place whenever a child is removed from a parent would also PROVE that she's broken the law AGAIN and lead to still another ARREST.
But the other POINT you overlook is how LOCKING UP HALLEY doesn't do anything to address the OTHER PROBLEM ... which is the PROSTITUTION ... which is a business that operates the same way as any other business would ... or on the basis of SUPPLY & DEMAND.
In other words, LOCKING UP the SUPPLY (Halley) doesn't STOP the DEMAND for the kind of services she provided, which is why one said the other 9 or 10 guys who are also on the MOTEL TAPE entering her room should also be PUNISHED or ARRESTED as well. Because they've also BROKEN the LAW as well.
Here's the questions that were put forth 2 yrs ago again for you:
*** weren't they also CAUGHT on TAPE as well as the other girl ???
*** So WHY is it only the girl who is PUNISHED for her crime and not the other 10 guys as well???
Why do you argue about the Arrest issue (which wasn't even mentioned in the first message that you replied back to) instead of addressing the other matter that was put forth??? Arrest or no arrest, Halley is clearly being "PUNISHED" for her crimes whereas the other men (who are as equally GUILTY of the same CRIME as she is) are not being PUNISHED.
Instead they are FREE to continue to keep breaking the law without facing any kind of consequences for doing so.
1. Yes, the men were caught on tape entering the premises. Having a grainy photo from a security camera can hardly identify the men though, and it's not like she got their real names I would imagine.
2. Already answered this--because of the child. You said earlier that they weren't in the same room--sure, the kid was stuffed in a bathroom while her mom sucked a guy's cock a few feet away. Not much difference there. Christ, the guy even went into the bathroom and saw her in the tub! She is in "trouble" because she's an unfit parent.
And I have to reiterate that just because you think she's going to be arrested means nothing. She wasn't arrested in the movie; maybe charges will be brought against her, but I don't think so. The only concerns at the moment were the welfare of the child. Someone else feel free to chime in if you're reading this!
Having a grainy photo from a security camera can hardly identify the men
The security camera wasn't grainy at all. We know this due to the way that we saw the MOTEL MGR using the computer screen (where it's located) as a way to figure out why the power went out (which reveals to him that it was the 3 kids who were responsible for it). And since their image was CRYSTAL CLEAR, that means the images of the men would also not be GRAINY at all.
And yes, you're right about how the guy even went into the bathroom and saw her daughter in the tub. But also NOTE the way he's CRITICAL of her or being HYPOCRITCAL for scolding her for doing the SAME THING that he's also doing (BREAKING the LAW by having SEX with her for money). And for all we know that was also the MARRIED MAN who had kids that she stole 1700 bucks worth of DISNEY TICKETS from. And since he purchased those expensive tickets, it would also be easy enough to find out WHO had bought them.
And since we also don't know what kind of sex they had, that also means he could have infected his wife with some incurable STD he'd gotten or even gotten Halley pregnant. In other words, he was being just as IRRESPONSIBLE as she was being (which is also the MAIN POINT being made).
Again, the FACT remains that Halley was previously ARRESTED, because we also heard her explain that FACT to her daughter when she said she didn't want to be arrested AGAIN.
And since you yourself also said this:
Child protective services was investigating her
And we also heard them explain to her that they'd seen her PHOTO and PHONE no. on the CELL PHONE (where she advertised selling herself or having sex for money), and they also said they'd seen the MOTEL camera that revealed several MEN going into her room, we also know the INVESTIGATION already involved EVIDENCE of her commiting CRIMES.
PLUS we also know the person that she ASSAULTED was the one who called to report her, due to the way the young son alreay knew that Moonee would be going to live with another family.
So that also means the INVESTIGATION leads to EVIDENCE of ASSAULT charges being filed against her. And even though it's also never explicitly stated that they've been filed, the SWOLLEN and BLOODY face of the person that she'd BRUTALLY BEATEN is still enough to convict her of this other CRIME (whether or not charges have been filed). But since we know the person ASSAULTED is the one who reports her, LOGIC also tells us charges were filed.
And with Hally's previous ARREST HISTORY, the judge would hardly be willing to OVERLOOK these additional charges of ASSAULT and PROSTITUTION and would probably throw the BOOK at her and LOCK her UP.
YOU again:
maybe charges will be brought against her, but I don't think so.
And I think it's naive to assume that charges won't be forthcoming!!!
The girl that she beat up supplied her with RENT MONEY and with FREE FOOD. And how does Halley repay her kindness? She goes to her place of employment, orders lots of food, then orders the girl to place it into take out packages that she just throws down on the ground. Then later on she also beats the hell out the girl for refusing to give her still more RENT MONEY.
What would you do if this had happened to you? Would you turn the other cheek, or file charges against the person who beat the crap out of you for refusing to give them money that you'd worked to earn??? Try to also remember how Halley could have continued to keep asking for rent money and beating up the girl if she didn't do something to stop it.
And didn't the girl also tell Halley about a job that she refused to consider?
Why the hell should this girl WORK and turn over what she earns to someone who isn't willing to work???
My point here is that you're dealing with a boatload of hypotheticals regarding a fictional circumstance that we don't see the outcome of and will never know. Sure, it's possible that she will be arrested after the movie ends. But we don't see it, so we will never know. Personally, I don't think that they would bother going after this woman after they already took her child away. You seem to think that they will. But since she is not arrested in the movie (which was all I said in my original statement, btw), as far as we know, she was not arrested. You seem to think she will be, and it's certainly a potential outcome for her, but I don't think so. I'm definitely interested in a third opinion though.
Then when they come back again they show her the WEB PAGE on the CELL PHONE where she has the AD that she's for hire for sex and tell her they've got MOTEL FOOTAGE of 9 guys going in & out of her room in the past 3 weeks:
CASE WORKER
Okay, well then, DCF has opened an
investigation. She’s going to be
collecting evidence based on the
accusations. She could be back here
by the end of the week. Hopefully
there is nothing to find. You
understand?
BOBBY
You understand that we don’t have
to let them review this, right? Let
them get a subpoena.
NAREK
Are you crazy? You want a court
case against Magic Castle? That’s
the last thing I need. They can
review all they want. Plus, this is
about the possible neglect of a
child.
DCF INVESTIGATOR
Thank you.
Halley and Moonee come back from breakfast and walk by two
police cars in the parking lot.
90.
The Case Worker, DCF Investigator, a DCF WORKER and Bobby are
accompanied by a DCF SUPERVISOR and TWO SHERIFFS.
Halley and Moonee make it to their room. Halley pushes past
everyone and opens her room. She turns around and faces
everyone.
HALLEY
Can I help you? Because you’ll need
a court order to get me to take a
drug test.
CASE WORKER
Halley, these DCF officers are here
in regards to Moonee.
HALLEY
You wanna inspect my room? Be our
guest.
The group follows Halley inside the room.
HALLEY (CONT’D)
Wanna shake my cereal boxes to
check for buried treasure? Look
inside my fridge?
DCF INVESTIGATOR
Halley?
HALLEY
What? What do you want?
DCF INVESTIGATOR We have security footage that shows
nine different men entering and
exiting your room over the last
three weeks.
DCF INVESTIGATOR
We’ve also obtained an online
classified ad soliciting costumers
for sexual activities with your
phone number attached.
See the problem here? Their INVESTIGATION reveals that she's once again GUILTY of CRIMINAL activity (in addition to whatever else she was previously arrested for before).
Because when they come back again they have the EVIDENCE that they warn her they better not find. PLUS ASHLEY also calls them regarding the other ASSAULT charges.
She's been BUSTED bigtime. There's also the mention of needing a court order for her to take a DRUG TEST as well. And we also know she'd FAIL it due to the POT that she gave away to the other woman. So that also seems to indicate she may have previously been arrested for drug use and/or possession (for which she may also be on PROBATION ... which could also explain the reason for the mention of a drug test).
With her prior history of ARREST, surely these additional CRIMES that she commits aren't going to be ignored. Since when do Sheriffs look the other way in regards to PROSTITUTION or ASSAULT charges???
And what about child abuse? Couldn't they also file charges against her for placing her daughter in danger by having sex with guys that she didn't even know???
Or what about the way that she BEAT the crap out of ASHLEY right in front of her YOUNG SON??? Wasn't that also a TRAUMATIC thing for him to witness as well???
You do understand that DCF is not the police and they cannot arrest you, correct? They are only concerned with child welfare and whether or not a child should be with a particular adult.
You obviously don't have to answer this, and please don't take it as judgmental, but I'm just curious, how old are you?
The Case Worker, DCF Investigator, a DCF WORKER and Bobby are
accompanied by a DCF SUPERVISOR and TWO SHERIFFS.
That's why this question was put forth for you in the prior message up above:
With her prior history of ARREST, surely these additional CRIMES that she commits aren't going to be ignored. Since when do Sheriffs look the other way in regard to PROSTITUTION or ASSAULT charges???
If this were a small town where everyone knew everyone personally, one could see the possibility of looking the other way. But since that's not the case, it makes more sense to assume that she's heading back to court again where all of her criminal activity will be addressed.
Because FL also has LAWS that say a kid can be ADOPTED by a foster family in 2 yrs if the BIO parent makes no effort to improve themselves. And if the child is younger the time limit is even shorter.
Do you think Halley would let that happen, refuse to show up in court and make no effort to try and get her daughter back again???
Since different states also have different laws (prostitution is legal in NV for example), it's possible these SHERIFFS might be willing to ignore the ASSAULT & PROSTITUTION crimes, but Halley has also NEGLECTED her daughter as well by letting her run around setting fires, begging people for money to buy ice cream, etc. And if Bobby hadn't seen the PERVERT and run him off, then Halley might have also been a kidnap victim who ended up dead. Same situation with the other men who could have killed her mother if they didn't want to PAY her, then killed her daughter to keep there from being a witness to what had happened.
Plus we also know the other man Halley stole the DISNEY TICKETS from was the same man who walked into the bathroom and saw Moonee in the tub, because when he comes back to the door demanding the tickets Moonie wants to know if he needs to PEE again.
So imagine what could have happened if Bobby didn't run off that man who was plenty pissed off about those 1700 bucks worth of stolen tickets.
So wouldn't this come under the heading of child abuse when one doesn't properly supervise a child and just lets them run around setting fires, begging strangers for money, etc. etc.???
Bobby's boss (Bobby is the guy who is the Motel Mgr) also said this to Bobby:
NAREK
Are you crazy? You want a court
case against Magic Castle? That’s
the last thing I need. They can
review all they want. Plus, this is
about the possible neglect of a
child.
So wouldn't Halley also be summoned to appear in COURT on CHILD NEGLECT charges???
Anyhow, have no idea what neck of the woods you inhabit, but here where I live HALLEY would have been hauled off to jail in a heartbeat by those 2 SHERIFFS (due to the EVIDENCE they had of that PROSTITUTION AD that she had on her CELL PHONE and the other MOTEL RECORDING of 9 MEN going in & out of her room).
I'm a Boomer. Which generation do you belong to??? And it's also true that laws do tend to change over the course of time (as demonstrated by the Abortion issue here in the US ... where it wasn't legal ... then was legal for 50 yrs ... and now it's not legal again for 1/3 of women in certain states). And Pot is still another illustration of the way that different states have different laws.
So maybe the state that you inhabit would be willing to look the other way in regard to Halley's criminal activity, but here in this state she'd definitely have been handcuffed and hauled away.
And WHO do you think turned her in? We know ASHLEY did it. But others also think Bobby called them as well. Or the other man who got his DISNEY TICKETS stolen could also have called them for revenge (cas he also saw her daughter in the bathtub when he tried to PEE). Or maybe any of the other people that Moonee begs for money could also have filed a complaint (including that other MOTEL MGR who refused to rent a room to Halley after which she dumps the can of soda all over the floor of the lobby area). It's also possible the FIRE DEPT could have found the footprints of the kids at the place that they burned down. Once you start to think about it, nearly everyone that Halley encounters could have turned her in. reply share
Correct, anyone could have turned her in, we don't know it was Ashley. And maybe age/region do have something to do with the difference of opinion--I'm a millennial in Massachusetts, and I just don't see her being arrested for nonviolent (besides beating up Ashley, which unlike you I don't think the cops knew about) crimes after having her daughter taken away.
Actually we do know Ashley was one of those who turns her in due to the way her young son already KNEW Moonee was going to be taken away and live in another different home (which he wouldn't know about unless his mother was the one who calls them about Halley).
Plus they show up the day after Halley beats the crap out of her which also indicates how pissed off she was about that matter. Then when Moonee asked the boy for a hug goodbye, and he said his mother said she's going to live elsewhere, Ashley graps her son and shuts the door on Moonee before her son can spill any more beans that indicate his mother is the one who called the law on Halley.
Here's the TRANSCRIPT:
SCOOTY My mom said you’re going to another
family
Ashley pushes Scooty inside and closes the door
But that also doesn't mean she's the ONLY ONE who called to report Halley when the list seems endless of others who could also have called them.
What part of the state do you live in? Spent a summer up there one year near Fall River (home of Lizzie Borden). Great State. Unfortunately, I'm down near the Mexican border in one of the less progressive RED STATES (which is why they'd LOCK Halley up in a heartbeat). But at least one also doesn't need to scrape ice and snow off the windshield of the car anymore. But then there also the other problem of dealing with the HURRICANES that tend to hit this area ...
So do you think Halley would fight in Court to win back custody of her daughter again? Or would she just give up due to the EVIDENCE that the investigation dug up regarding the ASSAULT & PROSTITUTION charges???
Yeah, Climate Change can be hell on Earth. But Ashley also wouldn't know Moonee was being taken in by another family unless she'd already spoken to the people that she reports Halley to.
And since Halley beat up Ashley right in front of her young son Scooty (which was most likely also an extremely TRAUMATIC thing for him to have witnessed), perhaps that was the last straw for Ashley who saw it as being a line that had been crossed to where she wanted Moonee taken away from Halley for that reason? Because she may also be afraid Halley might also lose her temper and beat up her daughter the same way if she got angry enough at her???
Also NOTE the way Moonee tells Ashley how sorry she was about her SORE EYE and hoped it felt better soon, which Ashely also thanks her for saying (even though Moonee also has no idea that the person she feels sorry for is the one who is responsible for her being taken away from her mother).
TRANSCRIPT:
MOONEE
Ashley, what happened to your face?
SCOOTY
Hi, Moonee. My mom said you’re
leaving?
MOONEE
It’s a temporary. We can do a hug
or a high-five.
They choose both.
DCF WORKER
Thank you.
MOONEE
I hope your eye feels better,
Ashley.
ASHLEY
Thank you, baby.
SCOOTY
My mom said you’re going to another
family.
After Moonee grows up and discovers Ashley is the one who's responsible for them taking her away from Halley, one could also see her seeking some kind of REVENGE against Ashley.
But the director also says he was done with the story and there won't be any kind of follow up to it.
Since it's been 6 or 7 yrs since it was made, MOONEE would also be about 13 or 14 by now, maybe pregnant (or have also already given birth to a child), and probably also living the same kind of life as Halley??? Unless living with the foster family was a positive experience that enables her life to take another different pathway into the future from the one that she experienced with her mother???
But a story like that one would probably also have more success by airing it on the HALLMARK channel than by making a sequel film to this FLORIDA PROJECT story???
It's also impressive to hear how Defoe was nominated for an OSCAR for his portrayal of BOBBY in this film (which is also mentioned in the OP of this topic).
Still another thing to NOTE is how Halley is fired from her stripping job for refusing to give customers "hand jobs" and insisting to her boss that she's only working for the TIPS that she gets dancing. Then she ends up having sex with customers in her room anyhow, and having her child taken away because of that. So IRONICALLY, it's ok to have sex at her job to support her child, but NOT at home.
More TRANSCRIPTS:
HALLEY is seated with a CASE WORKER (female, 30’s). Moonee is
messing around with another LITTLE KID (4) while the adults
talk.
HALLEY
Most of those rachet-ass bitches
were doing extras... ya know, in
the back room.
(gives a handjob gesture)
I'm not doin’ extras. I'm fuckin’
dancing for tips. That’s what I do.
I said no... two days later with no
warning Hector fires me... after
not letting me up on stage all
fucking night. Fuckin’ bullshit.
CASE WORKER
Okay, well... this will affect your
TANF.
HALLEY
No shit. That’s why I’m here.
CASE WORKER
Okay, you need to make a concerted
effort to find at least thirty
hours.
HALLEY
(frustrated)
Yeah, well you find me thirty
hours! I have applications in at
every shithole up and down Irlo
Bronson and the parks ain’t going
to hire me.
HALLEY
No, my record. And now that it’s
summer and I got her during the
day... C’mon.
CASE WORKER
I get it. But you’ve got to give
benefits three job contacts a week
or you’ll be considered noncompliant.
(reading file)
And no child support.
Halley just shakes her head.
CASE WORKER (CONT’D)
When is he getting out?
Halley shakes her head again
(Since HALLEY is 22 and Moonee is 6, and it takes 9 months before she gives birth, that also means she got pregnant at age 15 ... so is the father of her child in prison for statutory rape)???
Here's a TOUR of the MAGIC CASTLE that they inhabit ... that the OWNER also spent 20K to have it painted that horrible looking LAVENDER color:
SCOOTY
216 is Abigahil. She’s a nice woman
with lots of pillows. And sells
drugs sometimes.
17.
MOONEE
And 217 is a family that has a
brother who stabbed someone on
Valentine’s Day.
The kids pass the elevator.
MOONEE (CONT’D)
And nobody ever uses the elevator
cause it smells like pee.
The kids round a corner.
SCOOTY
And 222 is a family that fights
like all day.
MOONEE
And the woman who lives in here
thinks she’s married to Jesus.
They approach the laundry room. Bertha is exiting the utility
room and enters the laundry room.
SCOOTY
And that’s Bertha. She smokes WEEDS.
Bobby and JACK (28) are wrapping a mattress in plastic.
JACK
Well, the purple looks nice. How
much did that put you all back?
BOBBY Narek spent 20K on it.
JACK
And he can’t afford an
exterminator?
I thought it was ok. I watched two Sean Baker films over the weekend (this and Red Rocket) and they had the same theme. Both were filled with trailer trash types. lol...
I will probably give this a slightly lower rating than RR, which I gave a 6.8 out of 10. The strong points of this movie is the casting, same with RR too. They all fit their roles rather well.
But the dialogue is pretty weak in this film, I know most of the time it's kids but..... I just couldn't quite get into it, still a pretty solid film though. I'll give it a 6.2 out of 10.
Depressing, disgusting movie about white trash dirtbags. Now, somebody is going to tell me to watch "Transformers". I've never seen "Transformers", but maybe I will. It's got to be better than this crap.
Depressing, disgusting movie about white trash dirtbags.
Does this opinion also apply to the kids as well???
Don't forget about how one of the parents of one of the kids who SPIT all over the car PUNISHED their kid and refused to let them play with the other kids for a week. So not everyone who lived there behaved as irresponsible as the girl who ends up getting arrested at the end.
And the motel manager was also a DECENT DUDE as well (especially when he chases away the creepy child molester).
I liked the feeling one gets that you're watching a documentary film about the lives of others who weren't tourist and the effect on their lives of living in a tourist area near DISNEYLAND.
It also reminds me of another good film called "THE SLUMS of BEVERLY HILLS," where you basically had the same kind of situation ... where a father and his 3 kids live in run down motels ... that surround the area where HOLLYWOOD MOVIE STARS have and live in their MULTI MILLION DOLLAR homes.
Ever see that film before??? I highly recommend that you watch it if you haven't seen it. The MAIN character is also a teenager (not a young girl). And it's also not a Depressing movie at all.