Sweet Thing

Sweet Thing, written and directed by indie stalwart Alexandre Rockwell (In the Soup; Four Rooms), centers around the lives of two children in contemporary New Bedford, Massachusetts, during one eventful summer spent in a beach house with their mother and her boyfriend. The friendships, loyalties and challenges of adolescence propel the story into a triumph of childhood hope and resilience, yet the film also provides a heartbreaking look at race and poverty’s impact on troubled youths. These kids, Rockwell’s actual children, are always on the move, and the film’s best moments are also the most elemental: the physical beauty and emotional grace of its stars, bustling through grungy streets and lakeside idylls. Featuring black-and-white cinematography that captivates with visual lyricism and nimble flow, Rockwell’s film is a great reminder of the rich history of American independent cinema, where filmmakers across decades have built dreamscapes out of the textures of everyday interactions. ~Orly Yadin