Billie (Lana Rockwell) and Nico (Nico Rockwell) are siblings from a broken household in coastal Massachusetts. The film follows Billie most closely as they live through an eventful year. We are introduced to their father, Adam (Will Patton), as he struggles with his alcoholism. Eventually, things get so bad that he’s placed in a mental hospital and the children must move in with their negligent mother, Eve (Karyn Parsons).
They go to the seaside for the summer with Eve’s new lover, Beaux (M.L. Josepher), and find the adults are much like their father in their alcoholism. They are not, however, as kind or loving despite that. After several traumatic cases of abuse by Beaux, a seaside friend, Malik (Jabari Watkins), and Nico incapacitate the man and the three children escape to make their own way.
Shot in stunning black and white, Sweet Thing is heartbreaking, joyous, experimental, and all too real. The tight, intimate style this movie was shot in really helps you attach to the main characters very quickly and maintains that connection throughout the film. There is some excellent direction going on as these kids often acted as if there wasn’t a camera in the room. It is a very holistic and human experience rife with pain and joy, though not in equal measure. Tough topics of child poverty, sexual abuse, police brutality, and familial negligence are just a few of the hard things that arise. Despite this, Sweet Thing has a beautiful and satisfying ending.
Color is used sporadically through the film to illustrate memory and warped reality. There are several moments of magical realism that really add to the imaginative quality of the film. Lana and Nico Rockwell’s performances were incredible. They managed to show us the pure humanity of children even in the toughest times or hardest situations. Their joy and rage and fear and sorrow were realistic and believable. Any recommendation of this film should come with a clear content warning that it shows physical abuse and talks about sexual violence. It is a tough film to watch in many ways, but that is integral to its beauty and honesty. Sweet Thing is a bittersweet, heart-wrenching drama and is Highly Recommended. Editor’s Choice.