Movie spotlight
Kid-Thing
On the outskirts of Austin, 10-year-old Annie tears around on her BMX bike, hurls dough at cars, and smashes things up with her baseball bat. Her father, a goat-farmer-cum-demolition-derby driver, does little parenting. Annie has no friends her age, so her daily routine is filled with solitary mischief. Playing in the woods one day, she hears a woman’s plaintive call for help from an abandoned well. Though Annie feels driven to visit the well daily, she is unsure about how to deal with the woman’s plight.
Insights
Plot Summary
Set in Austin, Texas, the film follows a young, aimless woman named Annie who drifts through her days, often accompanied by her two young daughters. Annie seems incapable of adult responsibilities, struggling with her own identity and her relationships, particularly with her estranged mother. The narrative explores themes of arrested development, familial dysfunction, and the search for meaning in mundane existence.
Critical Reception
Kid-Thing received mixed to positive reviews from critics, with many praising its raw, naturalistic performances and indie sensibilities. However, some found its deliberate pacing and bleak subject matter challenging. It was particularly noted for its authentic portrayal of a certain kind of underachieving adulthood.
What Reviewers Say
Praised for its authentic and unvarnished depiction of aimlessness.
Noted for strong, naturalistic performances, particularly from the lead.
Some critics found the film's tone and narrative overly bleak or meandering.
Google audience: Information on Google user reviews for this title is not readily available.
Fun Fact
Director Zack Clark also stars as the main character, Annie, and wrote the screenplay based on his own experiences and observations.
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