Scarborough

As someone who lives in Scarborough, this resonated with my community in ways unimaginable. Flawed, unfiltered and emotional. This story tells the tale of one of the most underfunded and vulnerable communities here in Toronto. From healthcare to basic living inequalities, this film dives deep into the diverse stories of families attending a local drop-in community program.

Let's address the folks that found aspects of this movie somehow "distasteful". To do this, we have to first recognize the socioeconomic circumstances of the characters.

Let's start with Ms. Mina who is criticized by some viewers as breaking "professional" boundaries. This is not only an extremely narrow-minded and privileged outlook on the portrayal of teachers in low-income community programs but overlooks the aspects of being human. Ms. Mina builds connections with the parents and students to help them have a sense of normalcy in their complicated lives outside the class. These are 'some' of the same critics who would have no problem with Hillary Swank's character breaking boundaries in the movie "Freedom Writers", but when it's a Muslim teacher wearing a hijab, it's somehow controversial. It's tough being a coordinator or teacher for such community programs, some teachers have had to take out of their own wallets just to provide for students like myself when I was a kid, and their actions went a long way for kids like me. Being a compassionate teacher goes a long way, especially for vulnerable students who live under stressful conditions on a daily. It is rare to find a gem who dedicates their heart and soul at government funded community centres, Ms. Mina embodies what teachers should be, the opposite of detached and cold.

A few comments also mentioned the stereotypes in this movie, I can assure you they are not residents of Scarborough. These are not stereotypes but the harsh realities and true stories echoed by some in the community.

And lastly, if you found this movie "too heavy", that simply is the nature of life. Not everything can be sunshines and rainbows. The world is complex and full of emotions, this movie reflects just that. This movie is no cheesy Hollywood show like "This Is Us". It reflects the realities faced by so many living in low income neighbourhoods. When in Toronto, I encourage you to come to Scarborough, experience the vibrant cultures, food and meet people in the community. Only then can you judge for yourself.

This film is beautiful and heartbreaking and captures such an authentic feel of what it's like to live in the communities that are often (purposely) forgotten by the powers that be due to race and class. The characters are complex and nuanced, and the acting is natural and compelling, especially from the children, which is so impressive considering many were first time actors and were dealing with portraying extremely tough topics like abuse, poverty, bullying, and acceptance.

This movie hit me in all the feels. It follows three kids throughout a school year, and having read the book, these kids were perfectly cast. It's hard to believe that none of them have acted before considering that they dealt with such heavy subject matter like complete professionals. The adults in this movie were also incredible, and in fact I can't think of a single weak link when it comes to the acting (which is usually not the case in microbudget movies!). Shout out to Ms Hina whose facial expressions spoke volumes throughout the movie. The visuals are on point, and it feels like each shot was crafted with purpose and intent, even if that intent was to reflect the chaos of a particular scene. Plus, the story. The story! It was refreshing to see the humanity behind a community that's so often only represented by stereotypes. It was raw, it was beautiful, it was heartbreaking, and it was real. Thank you for this.

6.5 stars

Although I enjoyed the movie, the book was much better. It was incredible to see the characters come to life and how similar they were to the image in my head of how they looked(especially Bing). The movie stayed true to a lot of the elements that were beautifully written in the book, that being said there was quite a bit that was left out. When reading the book I had every emotion come out, watching the movie although mesmerizing from how beautifully it was shot it I had no emotional attachment to it. The books ending had me sobbing and full of joy from reading the masterpiece, the movies ending left it feeling incomplete. 6.5 stars.

As some one who worked in Toronto social services, this movie is so spot on with the portrayal of those in need and fall between the cracks, and those that try to assist them with accessing the support they want and need. Bravo.