Indie Drama / Intimate Realism + Melancholy Hope + Handheld camera following a bicycle. A raw, compassionate look at the foster care system where broken caretakers and troubled teens find healing through shared trauma and quiet connection.

Short Term 12

"Support them. Take care of them. But don't become their friend."

23 August 2013 United States of America 96 min ⭐ 7.8 (1,373)

Director: Destin Daniel Cretton

Cast: Brie Larson, John Gallagher Jr., Kaitlyn Dever, Rami Malek, LaKeith Stanfield

Drama

Trauma and The Cycle of Abuse Healing Through Storytelling Professional Boundaries vs. Human Connection Fear of the Future

Budget: $1,000,000

Box Office: $1,645,164

Short Term 12 - Movie Quotes

Memorable Quotes

You are not their parent. You are not their therapist. You are here to create a safe environment. And that's it.

— Grace

Context:

Grace is training the new employee, Nate, on his first day, explaining the rules of the facility.

Meaning:

Sets the professional boundary that Grace herself struggles to keep. It encapsulates the impossible dichotomy of their job: caring deeply but having no legal power.

Look into my eyes so you know what it's like / to live a life not knowing what a normal life's like.

— Marcus

Context:

Marcus raps for Mason, sharing his lyrics for the first time in an intensely emotional close-up scene.

Meaning:

A raw expression of the alienation felt by foster children. It forces the listener (and the audience) to confront the reality of abuse without looking away.

I don't know what you're going through, but I can't help you if you don't let me in.

— Mason

Context:

Mason pleads with Grace after she shuts down and refuses to talk about her abortion appointment or her triggers.

Meaning:

The thematic thesis of the relationship arc. It highlights that love requires vulnerability and communication, not just co-existence.

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