the audience applauded

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

The acting in this movie is really good.

Spencer Lofranco, a good-looking kid bearing an uncanny resemblance to a young Matt Damon, is 14-yr-old James. We learn that he had been in various troubles since he was 6 yrs old, and now at 14 he seemed to have only one chance left. But discouraged he cut his ankle monitor, leaves mom and little sister, and went off to work for a small time drug dealer. He gets the nickname 'Jamesy Boy'. The movie is edited in a particular way. It cuts between James in his somewhat short career in the drug business, and James in prison with hardened prisoners. Once I figured out the editing it worked well, probably batter than if it had been a time-linear edit.So the big question becomes, will James just end up as another statistic, a criminal kept alive by the state? Or will be gain some insight and set out to improve his life?The telling influence was hardened murderer Ving Rhames as Conrad, who was respected by all the others and basically left alone. Somehow he and James began to interact and it was this spark that enabled James to figure out a few things and make use of his parole after 4 years.This is based on a true story, a photo of the real James is shown, at the time 25, had moved to New York and was in the process of getting his life straightened out. Mary-Louise Parker is good as his mother Tracy. Taissa Farmiga, still a teen, was especially effective as Sarah, the girl minding the C-store who became a girlfriend of sorts to James, but could not put up with his criminal involvements. James Woods is effective as the warden, Lt. Falton.Found it on Netflix streaming movies.

most of u that hate on this film over stupid things.... it amazing I loved it ... and I think it a lot better then some of these films now days I've watched it twice it based on his life it shows what he went through and what choices James burns had to make and what them choices get him through the film is based on the teenagers in the world today that hang in the wrong crowd so stop hate in okay..... anyways the film amazing I cud watch it like a thousand times it that good it better than green street in ma point of view best film I've ever watched........ the characters play perfect in the scenes and are amazing I love it how James meet the right girl in the end it a love story that don't happen how u would suspect in some films they do now days (girl gets the boy and they live happily ever after etc. ...) the girl moved on even no James did go back to her... his life in prison explained what he had gone through while he was their though not all of us get it that tough.....he was trying to explain in ma eyes that u do make mistakes and with them mistakes they will have a problem the film is a must see because you would understand it better especially my age....

One of those life in a bottle, kid goes to jail and learns to be a real man movies. This one is based on a real guy, and sometimes seems very real, but other times it seems more like an amalgam of stereotypes, and prison horrors. This is a good movie, most of the time, just not when it really should be. I felt at times that there was just way to much time spent getting the dramatic shot, that the story, and the characters suffered. Which would not have been so bad if these dramatic shots didn't appear to be in a lower grade of film. I Enjoyed the movie as it was presented over all, there is a nice transition of the life in side, and the life outside beginning, and ending in parallel with each other, however the movie's film quality is a lot lower than it should be, it feels like art house film, but with great acting. So I do recommend this movie, it just isn't much more than a Hallmark movie of the week level of overall that you end up with though.

Watched this film knowing nothing about it at all. Sometimes this can be the best thing to do I feel as you have no expectations. Well I still left disappointed. James played by Spencer Lofranco is a troubled kid in America, who has a single mother Mary played by Mary-Louise Parker, thats about it. This kid leaves school, fights and is a idiot gets involved with drugs and goes to jail. In jail he has about 2 scenes with an old man (Ving Rhames) and James is let out of prison and goes straight. I have just told you everything in this film. Honestly nothing happens. This could be about 1,000,000 peoples story in America. Its not interesting and the acting is horrible. During the film the do these cut scenes from his prison to his arrest so I'm waiting for this huge turn of events, or something shocking happen, like he kills his mum or his girl. Nope he just gets jacked by the police and put in jail. The bad part is if you read the movie description it says how he is a young boy befriending an older inmate, they hardly have a scene together and when they do its not very good no chemistry or powerful words of wisdom. This is horrible from start to finish, avoid at all costs but Mary Lousie Parker is still super sexy.