Boy in the Corner

A troubled boy gets involved with a gang of criminals.

Myles (Vergara) is a quiet schoolboy, who lives with his mother (Shepherd) and little sister and spends his days hanging around with his two friends, playing basketball and practicing on his guitar. Unfortunately, he also has issues and gets into fights at school. As a result, it has been arranged for a mentor (Largie) to see him, much to Myles's annoyance. His life takes a turn for the worst when he meets a local gang who welcome him in their world and make him do illegal errands for them.

This feature is a hard-hitting drama that concentrates on the life of a teenager who appears to have lost his way in life and ends up going downhill even more. Myles seems to be unhappy with his life, living in a household that has money problems, disapproving of his mother beginning a relationship. He finds joy and acceptance when he joins the gangsters, who are led by Jaime (Pelayo) and give him money and smart clothing, until he discovers that kind of life is threatening and will most likely get him killed or send him to prison. His decisions end up alienating him from the ones who care about him, including his mother and friends. The screenplay explores how unhappy individuals become part of gangs in the belief that it will lead to a better life and vividly points out that it is a path that will lead to devastating consequences.

The performances are strong and Vergara is quite dramatic as a troubled and angry youth who does not talk much and gets involved with the wrong people. Shepherd is emotional as Myles's caring mother, who is deeply concenrned for his well-being and Largie does a great job as a mentor who had a troubled upbringing. In some ways, Pelayo's character serves as the antagonist, a double-faced criminal who can be friendly and also menacing.

Filming was done entirey in black-and-white and the cinematography by Tamas Apor Meder creates a downbeat atmosphere. The filmmakers also make effective use of slow motion. Regarding the music by Ana Kasrashvili, it is rather dramatic and there are also a couple of rap songs.

Basically, the main message of this film is that a life of crime is a mistake that only leads to bad things. It analyses the circumstances that can lead someone to turn to crime and how that affects them and those around them. Apart from crime, this is also film about self-discovery that looks into inner struggles, friendship and family values.