Jack (2014)

Though he was born in Berlin, director Edward Berger studied film at NYU. His third feature film offering, Jack (2014), is a gritty and realist look at socio-economic issues through the eyes of a German child. Jack, a child, is being raised by another relative child, his twenty-something party-girl mother. And though she loves her children very much, she’s simply not equipped to raise them and would rather be out partying and hooking up. This forces Jack to grow up quick, and act as the stand-in father for his 6-year-old half-brother. When his brother is involved in an accident, child services swoop in to take a closer look at this rag tad family. Their solution is to remove Jack from the home, and place him in foster care. The acting is incredible and the photography is beautiful, but the most beautiful shot is a quick flash of balls and peen from Jacob Matschenz. Though it has been applauded for its beautiful photography and impeccable acting, Jack fails to make a lasting impact on the viewers, causing this indie dud to sail under the radar largely unnoticed.