Short Term 12

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Short Term 12

R

2013

1h 36m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

98%

Tomatometer

175 Reviews

92%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

A supervisor (Brie Larson) at a group home for at-risk teens connects with a new resident (Kaitlyn Dever) while facing a personal crisis of her own.

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Critics Consensus

Short Term 12 is an emphatic, revealing drama that pulls audiences into the perspective of neglected youths.

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Geoffrey Macnab

Independent (UK)

Dec 10, 2013

3/5

Brie Larson is very impressive as the caring, funny supervisor whose own demons threaten to engulf her.

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Ben Sachs

Chicago Reader

Dec 10, 2013

Set in a foster-care facility outside of San Francisco, this independent drama is vivid and heartfelt in its depiction of social work, at times recalling some of Frederick Wiseman's great documentary portraits.

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Liam Lacey

Globe and Mail

Nov 15, 2013

3/4

The film's climax feels a little rushed and overwrought, but the movie's real resonance is its exploration of empathy and vocation.

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Cory Woodroof

For the Win at USA Today

Jul 29, 2026

The film has the power to strike your spine with the icy voltage of Boreas and simultaneously melt your heart down like it's fallen into Mount Doom.

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

Jul 28, 2026

[Director] Cretton and his cast maintain an honesty about the difficulties they face and the sense of impermanence of this facility while providing a story of perseverance and healing.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Nov 5, 2025

3.5/4

Cretton doesn’t shy away from showing the results of the brutalities life has hurled at these poor kids.

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Guilherme P

@RT90031924 Aug 1, 2026

A collection of cringe-worthy scenes stitched together without much rhyme or reason.

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Sierra R.

@s1erra Jun 19, 2026

Short Term 12 is a sweet film with nicely done story telling and a good cast. It didn't particularly strike me, but I can tell it came from the writer's heart.

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Jennifer B.

@itsjenloveya Feb 5, 2026

I thought this movie was amazing one of my favorites that I will always re-watch, or make my friends watch it if they haven't seen it before this movie will akways be in my heart

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Rajarishik B

@RT46055806 Jan 4, 2026

A really good movie . I think every adult or i anyone is having a bad time should watch this movie. Every character is so well written that you will find a piece of you in any of the character. When you sit and watch the movie it is like an the movie is teaching something to you . And when your watching the end scene of the movie and there is no smile or a feeling on your face consider your self as inhuman.

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Juan A.

@itscheezybaby Nov 17, 2025

I like going in blind into movies. Try to know as little as I can on it. So again my first notes  Remi Malek?  Lakeith Stanfield‽  It’s really good. The only part that felt off was right after Brie Larson smashed the lamp. Everything that followed felt out of character

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tiantian C.

@tcai34 Sep 21, 2025

It is a very touching movie that ties struggles, love, pain, and interpersonal care into a net of warmth and comfy.

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Destin Daniel Cretton

Director

Brie Larson

Grace

John Gallagher Jr.

Mason

Kaitlyn Dever

Jayden

Stephanie Beatriz

Jessica

Rami Malek

Nate

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Synopsis

A supervisor (Brie Larson) at a group home for at-risk teens connects with a new resident (Kaitlyn Dever) while facing a personal crisis of her own.

Director: Destin Daniel Cretton
Producer: Asher Goldstein, Maren Olson, Joshua Astrachan, Ron Najor
Screenwriter: Destin Daniel Cretton
Distributor: Cinedigm
Production Co: Animal Kingdom, Traction Media
Rating: R (Language|Brief Sexuality)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 23, 2013, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 15, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.0M
Runtime: 1h 36m

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