Film Review: Urban Hymn

I received a screener for this film in exchange for my honest review.

Urban Hymn has been making the rounds in various film festivals but hit theaters in limited release May 12th as well as on demand. It's a film I do recommend checking out. While there's a bit of extreme language, the environment of the story certainly supports the use of it.

The film is really about two women..primarily Jamie, a troubled young girl who is deeply enmeshed in a relationship with her friend. They feed off of each other's bad tendencies and as such keep each other trapped in their circumstances. It's also about Kate, a social worker who at the beginning of the film admits that she's ready to make a real difference after years of lecturing on sociology. Kate recognizes a special talent in Jamie, and works to nurture and encourage it despite Jamie (and her friend Leanne's) initial resistance.

The acting is great and the scenes set the stage for the gritty reality. While this may seem like your typical "inspirational film" where things are romanticized...it's not, not really. The characters have sufficient complexity on their own and nothing about either reality is really romanticized even if hope of a better life remains the more attractive option.

And there is enough conflict, the road is hard, and there are consequences to pay for breaking free. It is never cheap or easy, nor does it come free.

I liked this movie a lot, and do recommend it! You can watch it on demand now!