No Alternative

I found it hard to rate this. If you're looking for an entertaining movie, this really isn't it. If you're looking for a pretty accurate depiction of a family with teenagers that's mostly rather depressing and pretty much of a downer, then this is for you.

Music is a central theme in the movie, making it watchable for me; the soundtrack is well-suited and pretty cool. The movie portrays some authentic teen (as well as the mom and dad's) angst while uncovering each's particular situation they're struggling with. Really good acting on everyone's part, and a good message. It's not at all uplifting. If you're struggling to get through it, at least be sure to fast forward to around 1:23-ish and watch the AA scene, which I consider to be the point of the movie and an important message for all to hear.

A great movie that shows the darkness. With two different types of music that help set the film, rap and grunge, it shows life in the early 1990s for teenagers and how some things will always be the same or relatable. I would definitely recommend this film to teens and up. Truly an underrated movie.

Teenagers. Their music. Their loneliness. And their own refuges. It is not easy to define it because it can be discovered as portrait of 1990 decade, about parenthood, about friendship, music and the entire ball defining the teens life, including suicide . It is not a remarkable film. Only a decent one, with beautiful sparkles of acting and a good soundtrack.

Full Disclosure: This hits very close to home for me. That being said, I have tried to remove myself and evaluate the movie as a separate entity from my emotions. I believe that the story nails three separate points - youth in the 1990's, mental illness and music as a societal influence. (Let us not overlook all of the era-centric "oohs" & "ahhs" from the cassette tapes, clothing, make-up and the clear bedroom telephone!)

That being said, I have never understood why being born in 1980 made me an '80's kid. Most of my "growing up" years were spent during the 1990's. Back then and not much different from now, you felt your way as you went. You waded through community and pop-cultural standards as you attempted to morph yourself to fit their mold. I do not know if you could ever really "fit in" one way or the other, but you did you damndest.

As I was in the process of finding myself, I was sort of like a Magic 8 Ball. I had a bunch of Mee all floating around inside and I never really knew which one was going to pop up each day. My style as I graduated grammar school and into high school was a weird morph of so many influences. I rocked a mix of the following cringe-worthy get-ups:

* The Valley Girl (purple leggings and a neon tee, tied up in a knot of course)

* The Hip-Hop (dressed like Aaliyah - God rest her soul - with a sports-bra-type tank, layered by a plaid flannel with matching boxers that were not-so-unintentionally sticking out of my baggy jeans)

* The Alternative -ish (Long-Sleeve Offspring SMASH Tee - "Bad Habit" was my angry jam! Don't hate - I was tame. LOL!)

* The IDKWTF (when I ventured to a local, popular high school's Battle of the Bands one year, dressed in my gangsta attire but sporting a "wallet chain" to maintain my essentials and could be seen head-banging my long dark hair to alternative music. It was perplexing to all around.)

Yes! I was very confused! I was also an artist who was trying to "find herself." I have hit so many lows in my life, as well as highs. This story - this movie - not only brought me back to relive my youth, but also woke me to a stark and polarizing realization. Even now, even at my age, having somehow survived and (dare I say) thrived, sometimes you just need to reach out. That goes both ways!

-> If you are feeling lost, low, hopeless, scared: REACH OUT!

-> If you know someone feeling lost, low, hopeless, scared: REACH OUT!

This story awakened me to a stark reality. I have floated around the universe and never even known a fraction of the passion that these siblings have. I am extremely moved and inspired.

NO ALTERNATIVE brings light to mental illness and depression, something that I am keenly familiar with, as are so many of us. It also beckons to each of us to find our deeper self. It is a wake-up call asking two questions:

"What are you doing with your life?"

and

"What cues are you missing in someone else's life?"

No Alternative in the first few minutes, you are introduced to a flash from the 90s, when grunge reached its peak, you are looking cookie cutter parents, and two children the world hadnt took their edge away... yet You are looking at two sides of the aisle, a gangster rapper, and an aspiring rockstar in the making after Kurt Cobains early demise when grunge was in the spotlight, sounds promising, put into the mix these arent leading a stable life, their dad who is a judge just granted bail to a violent criminal who went and murdered her family, garnering the communitys outrage and getting their father targeted and threatened

No Alternative takes one on a ride through a life, that while still close to reality, is one heck of a ride. The setting and the scenery arent that different from one would find at his own home, this warrants an emotional connection with the Characters, Thomas and Bri-Da-B are teenagers following trends of their time and channeling their expression through music, how their lives at first seemed uneventful, usual, and unworthy of being told makes one wonder what is yet to come

As the scenes go by transitioning smoothly in neat editing, one goes through teen rebellion, strict parents, parental hypocrisy putting their childs mental health behind to keep appearances, neatly showing how theres more than meets the eye at first, that, precisely makes us -as a community revisit our need to take a deeper look at mental health and the stigma associated with this, which is brilliantly hidden in the undertones of each scene until it is revealed how our protagonists are mentally afflicted with depression, an illness that was cowered to live in the shrouds of stigma in the 90s

No Alternative is in my humble opinion, a period piece, essentially captivating the most iconic era of contemporary history and doing that effortlessly, even when the plot felt heavy at some scenes the flow was natural and it balanced comic relief with emotional scenes, most importantly the neat twist that wrapped up and gender bending on the real life story that inspired the movie.

What was really remarkable about No Alternative was how great attention to details was brought to the foreground with even the slightest details looking just out of the 90s something thats worth praise considering the fiscal limitations it had being a crowdfunded indie movie, small details like Free O. J. shirt on Bri Da B during her open mic scene added a sense of chronology to a scene one can with no doubt consider the best, the aura of freedom and teen angst present in that scene was delivered to the audience

No Alternative is another teen movie about rebellion, self discovery, coping with parents, yet its not another teen movie with a happy ending where everything falls back into place, it is bitter and sweet with equal measures, with finely curated soundtrack, great acting, and refined cinematography, its a good watch and it raises our need for recognizing mental health awareness