Us Kids

Last updated
Us Kids
Us Kids poster.jpg
Official poster
Directed by Kim A. Snyder
Produced by
  • Kim A. Snyder
  • Maria Cuomo Cole
  • Lori Cheatle
CinematographyDerek Wiesehahn
Edited byLeigh Johnson
Music by
Production
companies
Distributed by Greenwich Entertainment
Release dates
  • January 25, 2020 (2020-01-25)(Sundance)
  • May 14, 2021 (2021-05-14)(United States)
Running time
98 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Us Kids is a 2020 American documentary film directed by Kim A. Snyder, following members of the March for Our Lives movement after the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on February 14, 2018.

Contents

The film had its world premiere at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival on January 25, 2020. It was scheduled for wider release on May 14, 2021, by Greenwich Entertainment.

Synopsis

The film follows the March for Our Lives movement over the course of 18 months, in the aftermath of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting that killed 17 people and injured 17 more. [1] X González, David Hogg, Cameron Kasky, Jaclyn Corin, Bria Smith, Samantha Fuentes and Alex King appear in the film. [2] [3] Us Kids also captures how youth got involved with political activism, launching a global youth movement against gun violence. [1] [4] [5]

Release

The film had its world premiere at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival on January 25, 2020. [6] [7] The film was briefly released online for free from October 30, 2020, to November 3, 2020. [8] In February 2021, Greenwich Entertainment acquired distribution rights to the film and initially set it for an April 9, 2021, release. [9] It was postponed until May 14, 2021, for release in theaters and video on demand (VOD). [3]

Critical response

Us Kids received positive reviews from film critics. It holds an 84% approval rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 32 reviews, with an average of 6.6/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Skillfully directed by Kim A. Snyder, Us Kids is a stirring portrait of hope that prevails in the face of tragedy." [10] On Metacritic, the film holds a rating of 65 out of 100, based on nine9 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [11]

Critics praised Us Kids for handling a difficult and sensitive subject matter (U.S. gun violence) carefully and optimistically. [12] Carlos Aguilar at the Los Angeles Times wrote, "Us Kids is indispensable viewing for anyone who genuinely cares about the future of this country beyond 'thoughts and prayers.'" [13] Lovia Gyarkye at the New York Times wrote, "Us Kids skillfully handles a sensitive subject and prudently connects the Parkland students' stories to those of Black students whose experiences with gun violence rarely garner similar national attention." [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School</span> Public high school in Parkland, Florida, United States

Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School is a public high school in Parkland, Florida, United States. It was established in 1990 and is part of the Broward County Public Schools district. It is named after the writer Marjory Stoneman Douglas and is the only public high school in Parkland, serving almost all of the limits of that city as well as a section of Coral Springs.

<i>Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead</i> (film) 2015 film by Douglas Tirola

Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The Story of the National Lampoon is a 2015 American documentary film directed by Douglas Tirola. The film is about National Lampoon magazine, and how the magazine and its empire of spin-offs changed the course of comedy and humor.

Matthew Bryan Deitsch is an American writer, gun violence prevention advocate and political advisor. Before entering politics, he worked in broadcast media and was a freelance photographer, film director and music producer. After the 2018 Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in which his siblings witnessed, Deitsch became chief strategist for the March For Our Lives protests and began advocating for gun violence prevention. He is the older brother of activist Ryan Deitsch.

Song of Parkland is a short HBO Documentary film featuring the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School drama students and their teacher, Melody Herzfeld. Filmed in the months following the shooting at their school, the half-hour documentary follows the students as they return to school and decide to continue with the musical they were working on at the time of the attack.

<i>Miss Juneteenth</i> 2020 film

Miss Juneteenth is a 2020 American drama film written and directed by Channing Godfrey Peoples and starring Nicole Beharie, Kendrick Sampson, and Alexis Chikaeze. The plot follows a single mom and former teen beauty queen who enters her daughter into the local Miss Juneteenth pageant. The film premiered at Sundance in January 2020, and was released via video on demand on June 19, 2020, coinciding with the 155th anniversary of the historically Black holiday which originated in the south eastern United States.

<i>The Fight</i> (2020 film) 2020 American documentary film

The Fight is a 2020 American documentary film directed and produced by Eli Despres, Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg. Kerry Washington serves as a producer under her Simpson Street banner. It follows legal battles that lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) had faced during the Trump administration.

<i>Assassins</i> (2020 film) 2020 American film

Assassins is a 2020 American documentary film, directed and produced by Ryan White. It talks about the assassination of Kim Jong-nam and the two assassins who were tricked.

<i>The Go-Gos</i> (film) 2020 film

The Go-Go's is a 2020 American-Irish-Canadian documentary film directed and produced by Alison Ellwood. The film follows the rise of the girl band The Go-Go's.

<i>Aggie</i> (film) 2020 American film

Aggie is an 2020 American documentary film, directed and produced by Catherine Gund. The film follows the story of art collector Agnes Gund, exploring the nexus of art, race, and justice.

<i>Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street</i> 2021 American documentary film

Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street is a 2021 American documentary film directed by Marilyn Agrelo.

<i>Homeroom</i> (2021 film) 2021 American Documentary Film

Homeroom is a 2021 American documentary film directed and produced by Peter Nicks. The film, which is the final chapter of Nicks' Oakland trilogy, follows the lives of the Oakland High School class of 2020 as they try to make the most of their final year in high school amidst district budget cuts and ultimately the COVID-19 pandemic and the George Floyd protests. Ryan Coogler and Davis Guggenheim, the latter of whom made a similar film, Waiting for "Superman", were executive producers on this film.

<i>Pink: All I Know So Far</i> 2021 American documentary film

Pink: All I Know So Far is a 2021 documentary film centering on American singer-songwriter Pink, directed by Michael Gracey. It was released on Amazon Prime Video on May 21, 2021.

<i>Try Harder!</i> 2021 American film

Try Harder! is a 2021 American documentary film, directed and produced by Debbie Lum. It follows students at Lowell High School as they apply and hope for admission to the college of their dreams.

<i>Riotsville, U.S.A.</i> 2022 American documentary film

Riotsville, U.S.A. is a 2022 American documentary film by Sierra Pettengill and narrated by Charlene Modeste.

<i>Wildflower</i> (2022 film) 2022 film by Matt Smukler and Jana Savage

Wildflower is a 2022 American coming of age comedy-drama film directed by Matt Smukler and written by Jana Savage, from a story by Smukler and Savage. It stars Kiernan Shipka, Dash Mihok, Charlie Plummer, Jean Smart, Alexandra Daddario, Reid Scott, Erika Alexander, Samantha Hyde, Brad Garrett, and Jacki Weaver.

<i>Bruiser</i> (2022 film) 2022 American film

Bruiser is a 2022 American drama film that written by Ben Medina and Miles Warren, directed by Warren and starring Trevante Rhodes, Shamier Anderson, Jalyn Hall and Shinelle Azoroh.

<i>Sometimes I Think About Dying</i> 2023 film by Rachel Lambert

Sometimes I Think About Dying is a 2023 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Rachel Lambert, written by Kevin Armento, Stefanie Abel Horowitz, and Katy Wright-Mead. It is based on the 2013 play Killers by Armento, and a short film was released in 2019, directed and co-written by Horowitz. The film stars Daisy Ridley, Dave Merheje, Parvesh Cheena, Marcia DeBonis, Meg Stalter, Brittany O'Grady, and Bree Elrod.

<i>Earth Mama</i> 2023 film by Savanah Leaf

Earth Mama is a 2023 drama film directed and written by Savanah Leaf, based on the short film The Heart Still Hums by Leaf and Taylor Russell. It was released theatrically in the United States on July 7, 2023, by A24 and in the United Kingdom on December 8, 2023, by We Are Parable. It won the Outstanding British Debut award at the 2024 BAFTAs and was named one of the top 10 independent films of 2023 by the National Board of Review.

<i>Every Body</i> 2023 documentary by Julie Cohen

Every Body is a 2023 American documentary film directed by Julie Cohen and produced by NBC News Studios. It features Sean Saifa Wall, Alicia Roth Weigel and River Gallo. The film premiered at the Tribeca Festival on June 11, 2023, and was released by Focus Features in the United States on June 30, 2023. It received positive reviews.

<i>Skywalkers: A Love Story</i> 2024 American film

Skywalkers: A Love Story is a 2024 American documentary film directed by Jeff Zimbalist, produced by Zimbalist, Maria Bukhonina, Tamir Ardon, and Chris Smith, about rooftopping as it follows Angela Nikolau and Vanya Beerkus.

References

  1. 1 2 Ramachandran, Naman (March 5, 2021). "Parkland Aftermath Documentary 'Us Kids' Acquired by Cargo Film". Variety . Retrieved April 3, 2021.
  2. ↑ Day-Ramos, Dino (January 29, 2020). "'Us Kids' Director And Subjects Talk How Gun Violence Docu Sheds Light On Youth-Driven Activism – Sundance Studio". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  3. 1 2 Rearick, Lauren (April 2, 2021). "New Parkland Documentary 'Us Kids'". Teen Vogue . Retrieved April 2, 2021.
  4. ↑ Thompson, Anne (2020-01-25). "Sundance Doc 'Us Kids' Chronicles Parkland's Impact on Young Activists Fighting Gun Violence". IndieWire. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  5. ↑ "Sundance Film Review: Us Kids". SLUG Magazine. 2020-01-28. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  6. ↑ "us-kids". www.sundance.org. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  7. ↑ Siegel, Tatiana (December 4, 2019). "Sundance Unveils Female-Powered Lineup Featuring Taylor Swift, Gloria Steinem, Abortion Road Trip Drama". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  8. ↑ Perez, Rodrigo (October 29, 2020). "'Us Kids': Alamo Drafthouse To Release Timely Doc For FREE Until Election Day Via Virtual Cinema [Exclusive]". The Playlist. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  9. ↑ N'Duka, Amanda (February 4, 2021). "Greenwich Entertainment Acquires Sundance Documentary 'Us Kids'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Us Kids (2020)", Rotten Tomatoes , Fandango , retrieved October 10, 2021
  11. ↑ "Us Kids". Metacritic . Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  12. ↑ Harvey, Dennis (2020-01-25). "'Us Kids': Film Review". Variety. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  13. ↑ "Review: Parkland documentary 'Us Kids' offers more than thoughts and prayers". Los Angeles Times. 2020-10-30. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  14. ↑ Gyarkye, Lovia (2020-10-29). "'Us Kids' Review: They're Not All Right". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2021-01-03.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.