Sunday, March 13, 2022

Woman on the Outside (2022) SXSW 2022


This is an excellent portrait of a  a woman named Kristal and her family.  With her father and brother in prison she starts a service that will take people to the various prisons in Pennsylvania.  She is als taking care of her nephew with whom she has formed a strng bond. Things become complicated when her father and brother return from prison.

This film shows a side of life most people don't normally see. We almost never see what it takes to visit a loved onein prison. More importantly we  never really see what happens when family members come home. Yes we see them get out and the family reunion and then more times than not it ends there. Or if it doesn't end there it is always a terrible story if things going wrong. And it's almost entirely focused n the person getting out. This is something else entirely. This is a film where we see what it's like for the family.  We see how a returning person changes the dynamic.

This is a story for our time. In an age where we are looking at our criminal justice system and pondering if incarseration works, this is a film that clearly shows how it wrecks families. It's not just the people in prison serving time but their friends and family who have to struggle to maintain a connection who are also in prison.

What  makes this film so special is Kristal herself. She is truly a special young woman. Seeing how she deals with the world and works to help others is a ray of sunshine in ourdark world.

I really like this film a great deal and it is highly recommended.

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