Boys to Men? (Al-Tran)

Frederick Marx, a co-writer and editor of 1994's much-honored Hoop Dreams, directed this short documentary (one of three in the Boys to Men? series) about a 15-year-old, fatherless boy named Al-Tran, who leads a rudderless existence under the watchful eye of his single mother. Despite the latter's best efforts, support and guidance from his school--an all-boys prep academy--and Al-Tran's own talents as an actor and poet, the thoughtful young man cannot overcome chronic depression and low self-esteem, which he attributes to growing up without a dad. Marx's fly-on-the-wall camera captures the sad decline of Al-Tran's hopes and spirit as he drops out of school and attempts to find a path in life, while interviews with him, his mom, teachers, and others offer insights into the potential problems of being raised without same-sex mentors. A compassionate and cautionary film, the DVD also includes a version with built-in discussion breaks. Recommended. [Note: other titles in the Boys to Men? series include Cisco and Spencer.] Aud: C, P. (T. Keogh)