On some random radio station this morning, the media dude on the air was talking about the PBS "Frontline" movie entitled COUNTRY BOYS. The way they made it sound pretty much sounded like a white trash version of HOOP DREAMS....so I figured I'd give it a shot. Turns out COUNTRY BOYS, at least the first part, is outstanding!
it is, indeed, a white trash HOOP DREAMS of sorts in that we follow two Kentucky high school boys named Chris and Cody through their final 3 years of high school. Cody is a kid whose been bounced around alot. His mother killed herself when he was like, 5 months old and when he was 12, his dad killed his stripper stepmom and then himself. He now lives with a distant relative he calls his grandma. He's pretty messed up but has found Jesus, a girlfriend and the guitar. But the kid named Chris is simply heartbreaking.
Chris lives in a trailer in a "holler" (more or less an anti-neighborhood waaay down a dirt road) with his little sister, his unemployed mom and his unemployable, alcoholic dad. This kid is soooo smart and just has negative 10 confidence. It's laughable they way he articulately explains how "slow" he is. Like, he volunteers to make a school newspaper for his (and Cody's) continuation school. However, he says he needs help because he's slow. He says this in front of the school and seconds later laments how bad he is in front of people. It's just...crushing. You see this bright, funny, witty, articulate kid who just has no idea how great he is.
I can't wait for parts two and three....they're on tomorrow (Tuesday) and Wednesday on PBS. What I like best is how well you know these kids and also, how easy it would be to make fun of their many misfortunes or to be condescending and call them rednecks, but the movie does neither. I highly recommend you check the show out....you won't be sorry. You can also watch them or buy them here.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Hello, Hello........yes this thing is working :)
Post a Comment