The idea that a mother will go to great lengths to safeguard her children is a common one, but what happens when those protective instincts become excessive? That's the central inquiry posed by A.V. Rockwell’s first film, which centers on a woman with a history of criminal activity (played by Teyana Taylor) who takes her young son (Aaron Kingsley Adetola) from foster care after being released from prison. Concerned about the standard of care he is receiving while in state custody, she essentially steals him and goes into hiding as she attempts to rebuild her life. For roughly eleven years—from 1994 to 2005—she manages to maintain this arrangement, even while facing various obstacles, including a complicated connection with an old accomplice (Will Catlett) and the transformations occurring in New York City, particularly within her Harlem neighborhood. Although the beginning feels somewhat sluggish and lacks clear direction, the narrative gains complexity as this unconventional family strives for stability. However, that initial lack of focus establishes a pattern for the story’s progression, which occasionally drifts into captivating but ultimately tangential storylines, diminishing its central purpose until close to the film's conclusion. While the strong acting—especially from Taylor and the actors portraying her son at ages 13 and 17 (Aven Courtney and Josiah Cross)—helps to mitigate these flaws, it isn’t quite sufficient to compensate for the script’s structural problems. Nevertheless, the filmmaker demonstrates potential in crafting emotionally resonant stories, so one can only hope that this debut paves the way for stronger work down the line.

Source on TMDB