sammywisamoose This movie is a must see for people who want to better understand the horrors of human trafficking that's happening right under our noses. It's hauntingly beautiful, the acting is done extremely well. The child actors gave an amazing job despite their young age, when most children don't understand that trafficking has a much darker meaning then driving a car. It's not for people who have to have a happy ending, but the realistic plot is what I think makes it such a good film. Where some directors would go for the wow factor and show the horrible things done to the victims, especially minors, this director did not. He displayed it in a way where you understand what's happening enough to leave it up to the imagination, which in my opinion makes it even more haunting. The most amazing part of the movie is how despite the darkness of the plot happiness still shines through. The part where the two leads are dancing together in a moment of freedom and happiness is one of the most heartwarming scenes I have ever seen. The relationship between the two leads as a whole is amazing. One of my all time favorite movies, 10/10!!

jjesto Had never heard of this film before, it was recommended on Netflix. Story was very well done, well acted, using all the typical elements of child abductions--the method of luring, lies told to child, breaking of their spirit and if ever released, how it often plays out. There were some questions not answered along the way in the plot but in the end viewers are left with the haunted feeling of seeing how easily a childhood and innocence is stolen by sick, exploitive pedophiles, leaving a horrible void within parents who don't know what happened to their child and presume they are dead. I thought the actors who played the older Leslie and Donnie looked so much like they did as children, very well cast. Surprising to see Tom Arnold and John Malkovich in a film that had little or no hype.

sddavis63 This is a good movie. In fact, it's an exceptionally well done movie that tackles an impossibly difficult and even horrific subject and that, as a result, makes it often a very difficult movie to watch. It's not a sob-story happy ending kind of movie, either, so by the time it comes to an end you don't really feel at all uplifted. In fact, you feel kind of worn down, upset - even angry.The subject of the movie is child sexual exploitation. A darker, seedier and more disturbing storyline probably doesn't exist. It revolves around Leslie (played by Ryan Simpkins as a young child and Gillian Jacobs as a teen.) Leslie is kidnapped at the age of 8 and essentially forced into a life of child prostitution. Thankfully, nothing graphic is shown (obviously nothing sexual, and no physical abuse of any kind, really), but just knowing the situation makes your heart bleed for this girl and at times ties your stomach in knots.The kidnapper is played by Tom Arnold. The portrayal of a sick man luring his victim into his clutches and gradually making her more and more dependent on him to the point at which he can take her out in public and she won't try to escape or tell anyone what's going on is truly disturbing. There's no real closure with Arnold's character of Alex, either. Somehow Leslie and her friend Donnie (who was held captive as well) are just all of a sudden on their own. There's no mention of how they got away, or of what happened to Alex.One piece of advice: this seems to me to be a pretty accurate depiction (a psychological one mostly) of children being kidnapped and then sexually exploited. It's filmed mostly from Leslie's point of view, so it is a hard movie, and if you watch a tough movie expecting (and even needing) everything to work out in the end and everybody to live happily ever after then don't watch this. It's not a fairy tale. Not in any way, shape or form. It's dark and disturbing from the first to the last moment. But if you can get through that, it's also a very powerful and well made movie. (8/10)

Geeky Randy Drama about San Diego streetwalkers Jacobs and Ross and how they came to be through years of sexual abuse. Brave, disturbing and insightful, yet strangely ceases to be thought-provoking—it pretty much is what it is. Tom Arnold is standout in possibly the best role of his career, not to mention Perrineau pulling the audience into Hell with just one unforgettably disturbing scene. Suffers from the FULL METAL JACKET-effect, where the first act easily tops the second act—and something is askew when the child actors (Simpkins and Smith) are easily stronger than the adult actors playing the same characters (Jacobs and Ross). The romantic undertones between the two leads are interesting, but nonetheless questionable as it distracts and interrupts more important conflicts at hand.**½ (out of four)