Aging Out (2004) User Reviews

Hard to watch, coming to age story.

[ironhorse_iv · 8/10 · 11 January 2014]

Navigating the transition from adolescence to adulthood is challenging for even the most mature and privileged youth. It's even harder for those 'aging out' or leaving the foster care system because the lack of support. Aging out is a documentary that tells the story of three young people living in the U.S, making the transition to independent living. All three people have very different stories. They looked at a male and two females; a white, a Latina, and a Black with an Asian romantic partner, so the subjects are very diverse. First off, there is David Griffin, whom spent virtually his entire childhood in the foster care, mental health, and juvenile justice systems due to his mother being mentally ill. For David, it's all becoming a man, but he has some issues in his way. David is always in trouble with the law with drug abuse, and also David stands a high chance of becoming seriously mentally ill himself, due to severe mental illnesses like schizophrenia being usually inherited. For Daniella Anderson, she is a newly made mother, with little time for education, and a boyfriend that is little to no help to her. Her father was physically abusive and the home environment was less than nurturing, to say the least. So finding a place for her and her child is going to be hard. Last is Risa Bejarano who had the hardest life of all. She entered the foster care system at the age of nine after being neglected by her mother and being abused by her stepfather. Her family was so scattered and fragmented that she's not even sure how many siblings she actually has. Risa struggle to save enough money for college, even with having a scholarship. By the middle of the film, we see the toll, this took from her, as the drug life enter her life. While, the movie has two other young people stories, their struggle isn't as harsh as these three. Keely Lopez and Thomas Hudson story are in the extra if you want to check them out. All the stories, you hope for the best for them, but the film does raise the issues s about how much support, either through the foster parents, or through other means should the kids have to get to make it on their own after such a horrible childhood. Sadly, the film doesn't answer that. All this movie is showcase, how poorly, the foster care system prepare foster youth for adulthood. Many of the youths in the documentary describe the devastating effects of being moved again and again from home to home. They painfully share the fragmentation of their emotional attachments to anyone who cares for them, leading to their inability to care about or for themselves. If I have to be devil's advocate here, in all fairness, I think the poor decisions of the three reveals the downfall of not having consistent parents. In many ways, they shot themselves in the foot, by making their life even worst. So in a way, some people viewing this, might not feel something for them, due to their stupidity. While, watching this, I felt the other way. This movie is really moving in the water works. I found it to be very emotional. Without spoiling it, the epilogue of the documentary is interesting. Some went the 2007's Into the Wild route; while other had success ending. Then there is the one ending of a story that is heart breaking. Watch 2010's documentary, 'No Tomorrow' for further information about what truly happen to that last story. It a film about the death penalty, and somewhat relations to one of the people focus on the film. It's hard to believe that there is more than 36% of foster youth who have aged out of the system become homeless, 56% become unemployed, and 27% of male former foster youth become jailed. People who are upset with the outcomes should seriously think about giving back to their community and becoming mentors for foster youth. The children in foster care need advocates indeed. Overall, Aging Out is a hard documentary to get through, that will leaves you with quite an emotional impact; you won't forget this film and the stories of these young people anytime soon. I highly recommend this film for people interested in the foster care system and the children who are in foster care

Aging Out

[Spuzzlightyear · 7/10 · 25 March 2012]

Documentary about older kids trying to get off the Foster Care system, you know, because they're 18 right? and realizing, that, you know, once you do leave, well, who's going to support you? We follow 3 kids, David, Risa, and Daniella, as they struggle with the system. All three have very different stories. David is the loser of the bunch, no future, always getting into trouble, big dreams etc. Daniella is a Mom with a somewhat loser boyfriend, struggling to gain an education while making it on her own, while Risa is the smartest of the bunch, very smart, educated, has the future in front of her, and doesn't need the foster care system anymore. With films like this of course, you pick favourites to succeed, and watch with amazement those who don't, but it does raise questions about how much support, either through the foster parents, the gummint, or through other means should the kids have to make it on their own after such a tumultuous childhood. No real answers, and get ready for a real downer of an ending.