SHARE

US, 2019, 87 minutes, Colour.
Rhianne Barreto, Charlie Plummer, Poorna Jagannathan, J. C. Mac Kenzie.
Directed by Pippa Bianco.


This is a brief film made for television, for an American audience, but especially for African- American teenagers and their parents.

There is a family and school setting, a young girl eager to be with friends, videoed in the aftermath of what looks like a sexual assault and the video circulated. Her parents are very upset and want to do something about it, discussing with the school principal. The young girl accepts responsibility for what happened but does not remember it, wants a close friend to help her with the memories, confiding in a girlfriend from school.

The film is strong on its themes rather than drawing immediate conclusions – with a strong performance by Rhianne Barreto.

1. A film with social concern? Teenagers, peer groups, pressure and sexual behaviour, drinking and drugs, social media and pressures? Intervention of school authorities? Parents coping with problems?

2. The title, the young people sharing experiences, sharing videos and texts with social media? Sharing with one another? With school authorities? With parents?

3. Mandy’s story, her age, at home, family, at school, basketball, her friends in these conversations, the boys in relationships, the drinking, parties? Her ambitions? Are getting the video, the loss of memory, waking up on the lawn? The discussions with Dylan and the other boys? Her relationship with Kerry and confiding in her, Kerry’s concern about her? Her moods, the confrontation from the video and images of her behaviour, the boy’s behaviour? Not remembering? A way of coping, affirming her decision to go to the party, later going out, defying her parents, to another party? Not wanting to move away from home?

4. The girls, their talk, basketball, play? The boys, their talk, upfront, Dylan and his reticence, friendship with Mandy, wanting to help? His later recounting the story and Mandy’s reaction about his not helping her?

5. The parents, seeing the video, talking with Mandy, the attitude of each parent, confronting, supporting, anger? Going to the school authorities and the discussion? The limitations of what could be done, the interrogations, issues of police investigation, legal difficulties and resolution taking years?

6. At home, the reaction of each parent, Mandy, in her room, going out?

7. A film for television audience, a cautionary tale for parents alerting them to concern and how to deal positively with their children? A cautionary tale about social mores, 21st-century teenagers, permissiveness? The significance of the teenagers making their decisions, accepting the consequences?