THE INEVITABLE DEFEAT OF MISTER & PETE

The US, 2012, 108 minutes, Colour.
Skylan Brooks, Ethan Dizon, Jennifer Hudson, Adewale Akkinuoye Agbaje, Jeffrey Wright, Anthony Mackie.
Directed by George Tilman Jr.

The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete is quite a title. While it is pessimistic in its presentation of life in African- American and ethnic neighbourhoods in the American cities, it does build up to some hope by the end of the film.

The film focuses on two young boys, one African- American, the other of some kind of Asian background. The older boy is called Mister and lives with his drug-addicted mother, who also makes ends meet (or fails to make ends meet) by some behaviour as a prostitute. She is played by Oscar-winner, Jennifer Hudson.

When his mother is arrested, Mister has to manage by himself but also to take care of Pete. This involves hiding from the police, trying to get food to survive, clashing with the owner of the store where he tries to get food with his mother’s benefits card. He also wants to go to an audition for child actors. There is also trouble in the streets, gangs and drug-dealing.
However, the film makes its impact through the performances of the two young boys, Skylan Brooks as Mister and Ethan Dizon as Pete, the former taking initiatives, the latter following on quietly.

Some significant actors take minor roles including Adewale Akkinuoye Agbaje, Jeffrey Wright as a veteran begging on the streets and Anthony Mackie as the leader of the gang.

A worthwhile screen experience.

1. A Los Angeles story? American story? An African- American and minorities story? Children’s story? Parents’ story? Police and authorities? A local setting but universal story?

2. Los Angeles, the neighbourhood, apartments, the blocks, the poorer areas, better areas, the streets, shops, the parks? Realistic? A children’s view? Adults’ view? Musical score?

3. The title, its focus on the boys, their age, lives up till then, harsh experiences, challenges? The pessimism of the story? Some hope at the end? Inevitable defeat?

4. The character of Mister, his age, his life at home, relationship with his mother, her drug addiction, prostitution, her card at the store and the owner not accepting it from Mister? His going to the store, the clashes with the storekeeper, the ethnic background of the owner, his later anger and trashing the shelves? His mother’s irresponsibility, going to the restaurant, the customer the sexual encounter in the toilet, her ultimate collapse? Mister and his attitudes? Alice, the friendship, leaving?

5. Pete, his age, friendship with Mister, no view of his family, his ethnic background and appearance? Quiet, depending on Mister, bewildered? Tagging along?

6. The street, the gangs, Chris and his group, Dip-stick, hanging around, arguing with the boys, his snitching? The significance of the war veteran on the street, begging, Mister and his suspicions, his criticisms, later giving the man some food, and the man revealing the truth that he was a veteran?

7. The arrest of Mister’s mother, his having to cope, wanting to do the audition, rehearsing scenes from Fargo with Pete, his response? The mother absent for so long, released, not returning home? Mister and his sob story about his mother and her birthday, the supermarket manager selling the food? Hiding from the police? The months by themselves, going to the room and taking the food, their apartment being robbed? Pete becoming ill, trying to avoid the police, their having no ice when the electricity went off, the bad incident at the store and his being chased, the police taking the store owner, wanting to get jobs with Chris? The police coming and Chris not supporting him, going off with the gang?

8. Going to the audition, waiting, not having an agent, parental consent, his not being accepted, his doing a performance, the regret of the secretary?

9. Pete and his being taken, Dip-stick and his snitching, Mister and the police, discussions with him?

10. The portrait of the police, their dealing with young children?

11. The institution, Pete saying he was happy, good food? Gloria arriving, having been in rehab, explaining that she did not want to come to see Mister until she was clean? Her being reunited with him?

12. Mister with the boys in the class, relishing the education, the future?

13. The film and its realism, an alert warning to audiences, yet offering some hope?