Girlhood

Liz Garbus was one of the directors of the superlative, Oscar-winning documentary, The Farm: Angola USA, and here continues her examination of American justice, by following two teenage girls thrown into the system at an early age, as they make their way out into the adult world. Shanae had stabbed a friend to death at 12, and when we first meet her is numb to remorse, but she moves from incarceration to a halfway house and finally into success in high school, learning about herself and others along the way. Megan is a beautiful girl made wild by her chaotic upbringing, who seems less susceptible to help from others, but with a fierce intelligence about her thwarted life. Both of these girls are articulate and engaging, and their development over time is fascinating, despite the bare-bones filmmaking. (2003, dvd, n.) *7-*

With its setting on the streets of Baltimore, this film makes a good companion piece to The Wire, the third season of which I am now catching up with in reruns on HBO, and which I cannot recommend highly enough (first two seasons already on dvd, third due next month -- put them on your Netflix queue and prepare for a transcendent viewing experience.) Back to back with the new third season of Deadwood on Sunday nights, you can see the tv series at its absolute best, filled with characters who continue to surprise and language of a profane eloquence that is a continuing astonishment. What is it about the Davids of HBO -- Chase of The Sopranos, Simon of The Wire, and Milch of Deadwood? They’re each at the top of their class.