One of the greatest powers of film and the filmmaking craft is the ability to peer into the world of those you might not be able to otherwise relate to. While there are plenty of films that cover the various experiences of other cultures and peoples, it's always exciting to see a new film directly from the perspective of children, since they definitely cannot make a film about their perspectives in any way. “We Grown Now” takes that perspective and runs with it, treating the supposedly childlike events with the respect and reverence of something like a Shakespearean play.
Set in 1992 in the Cabrini-Green housing project in Chicago, the film follows 10-year-old best friends Malik, played by Blake Cameron James, and Eric, played by Gian Knight Ramirez, as they work through their adolescence, dealing with issues as school, violence in their neighborhood, and slowly grow apart as they grow older. Jurnee Smolett (“Birds of Prey,” “Lovecraft Country”) and Lil Rel Howery (“Get Out,” “Free Guy”) also star in minor roles as Malik’s mother Dolores and Eric’s father Jason, respectively.
The most immediately striking thing one will notice about “Now” is the specific angles and perspective of its camerawork. Shot by cinematographer Patrick Scola (“Pig (2021),” “Monsters and Men”), there’s a deliberately low to the ground viewpoint used for much of the film. It builds the childhood perspective up, establishing the film as an almost dreamlike recounting of these events from the point of view of its young leads. The dialogue supports this as well; the script by writer/director Minhal Baig (“1 Night,” “Hala”) gives these two kids plenty of wordy material, and while it clearly isn’t “how kids actually talk” it establishes something more important for a project like this: it understands how kids sound to each other.
James and Ramirez work together flawlessly, never tripping over a line and delivering it all with the skill of actors four times their age. They quickly establish their friendship and invite us into this film’s world in a remarkably simple way. It really does feel as though we’re seeing this tale through a child’s eyes, and they effectively serve as our guides through it. Smolett and Howery are also fantastic in their admittedly limited roles, making the most of their screentime at every appearance.
Even the film’s production design and lighting accentuate the feeling of this being a child’s interpretation of the world. The camera angles and perspective as mentioned before are much lower, but everything feels lit with a fuzzy, warm glow, with specific moments of lighting accentuating these environments. It feels like the entire film was shot with the kind of perspective one has when looking back on childhood memories with those often referenced “rose colored glasses.”
This visual styling, the way the film is shot, and the performances of its young cast all come together to build a film that feels remarkably respectful of childhood and a child’s intelligence. It's been said by many scholars that children are far more intelligent than we give them credit for, and this film seems to operate on that ethos. It makes things far more interesting and engrossing than they otherwise would be if this story was exactly the same but told from the perspective of its adult characters. There is quite a bit of meandering though, and it is a deliberately paced film; even sitting at just over 90-minutes, it can feel longer than its runtime would suggest.
“We Grown Now” treats its audience and young leads with the utmost respect and intelligence, resulting in a borderline Shakesperean interpretation of the adventures of youth. It serves as a love letter to this young age, loss of innocence, and the Cabrini-Green apartments it calls its main setting. James and Ramirez lead a cast with performances arguably more skilled than those of its older members, and the entire film draws you into this childhood world of hazy lights and low angles to fantastic effect. 4.5/5
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