There’s little that’s sweet in this raw portrayal of a 15yo boy who enters drug culture with a hope of saving his mother from it. It’s captivating and often painful to watch actor Martin Compston in his big-screen debut as Liam, a “wee man” who is expected to pass drugs to his jailed mother on behalf of her sleazy boyfriend.

In the months leading up to her release, Liam’s life is thrown violently into flux, as he tries to secure a good life for his mother, sister, and young nephew. The results are as impermanent as they are uncertain.

Like all good movies, Sixteen stimulates conversation and reflection; my fellow moviegoer and I discussed the themes in some detail as we drove back to Ames. Much like the filmmakers, we found no easy answers.

(Note: In a welcome nod to the film’s Scotland setting, the film comes complete with subtitles.)

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