Well made doc, but the parents.... Notice the abusive tones, drug addiction (constantly smoking cigs), terrible role-models, and much, much more. These parents have failed their kids more than anyone else has. It goes to show that education—although not absolutely conducive to success—sure as hell helps a lot in life.This just goes to show the economic disparity in this country.All I could think of is the fat cats sitting in their penthouses in clothes on that very minute that "cost more" than what all of those families have combined.The worst thing about this documentary is the truth behind it—the kids are the victims.

My wife and I both enjoyed this documentary, and we each felt pretty low after watching it. It was really well done, but it left a sour taste for sure, like biting into your first unripened persimmon. I both agree and disagree with the reviewer from Michigan. I think the point about this documentary not having a story arc is valid. There really is no growth in anyone in the film; they leave the film as they entered it, some pathetic and lazy, some disturbed, some ever-hopeful. But I think as a documentary, the film is entitled to do that. Perhaps that was the filmmakers' objective: Life in rural, poverty-stricken Missouri is like an unripe persimmon. Here's your bite. It sucks, and the unpleasant after-effects of that experience will linger for a long time. I also agree that this leaves me wanting more. I'd love a Ken Burns' style mega-doc that explores the how and the why of that slice of life. Poverty is certainly a spoke on that wheel - perhaps even the hub- but it's far from the only reason we felt so often disturbed by what we saw on the screen. Which leads me to my major disagreement with Michigan's review, which to me was a belief that there weren't many kids/families that could be that disturbed, lazy, dysfunctional, etc., or that the film presented that dynamic in an incorrect proportion to the reality. I spent twenty-plus years as a family therapist in a treatment center for severely emotionally disturbed kids and their families from rural and urban areas. They exist. Families and kids fall apart for multiple reasons. The families in this film had few options to help them deal with the ever- increasing severity of their problems. Poor people love their kids as much as rich people do; they just have far fewer ways to access help when things start falling apart. The juvenile justice system should be the last resort. There's no resources in these impoverished areas to help the more severe cases. But what I was really left with after watching this film was this: I know another reviewer requested this not be compared to Ferguson. I really want the comparison. When you look at the underlying dynamics of a community like Rich Hill versus an inner city neighborhood, there are many similarities: poverty level; educational opportunities through public education; strong family ties; mental illness; medical issues; unemployment and lack of available jobs. How are the impoverished citizens of Rich Hill exploited any less than any impoverished inner-city resident? Are their reactions to their situations different? If so, why? I'd love to see a filmmaker explore that.

I don't understand what the filmmakers are trying to achieve. They're showing what it's like to be a young, poor teen in Missouri without explaining why things really are the way they are. The subject is glossed over with a thin layer of hometown bias. It would take a two-week documentary from Ken Burns just to scratch the surface of this complex issues. Don't believe for one second that this is something new in America. Change the year to 1954 and the location to Ironton, Missouri, and it could have been my dad in Harley's place. All of the boys in this documentary were far better off than my dad or grandparents, but that's not saying much. Yes, poverty exists in Missouri and water is wet. As long as people are free to make bad decisions and there aren't any job requirements for "parent", this will continue to be the case. If this documentary showed something new to somebody who can do something about it, that's great. I hope that is the case, but I doubt it. And, please, avoid making comparisons to Ferguson, Missouri. The issues are completely different, though the solution would help alleviate both problems.

My curiosity about this film stemmed from the fact that I have family that live in and around Rich Hill, Missouri. Our family reunion is held in Rich Hill every year. My family members prosper in the farming industry so I had no clue that this much abject poverty was so prevalent in that community.Having said that, I agree with the reviewer from Michigan. This is a heartbreaking depiction of life for these kids...but it's the utter disdain I feel for their parents and guardians that made it so difficult for me to watch. As Michigan said...there's no ARC...and the idyllic images of girls doing cartwheels at the yearly 4th of July parade could not offset the gut wrenching sorrow I felt when having to endure the other scenes.Look, the film is extremely well made. I'm not proud that I struggled through the viewing, It's not like I'm one of those film goers who wants nothing but "rainbows and unicorns"...But this was just too depressing.