Review: Stevie

In 1995, filmmaker Steve James decides to revisit the troubled 11 year-old boy he used to be a Big Brother to back in 1985. Stevie was born out of wedlock, never knew his father, was abused by his mother and then ended up in the care of his crotchety, embittered step-grandmother. Unfortunately, she was eventually too old and frail to care for such a troublesome youngster and thus began a trip through the foster home system where he was frequently raped and abused. Somewhat guilt-ridden about having left the boy to move on with his own life and career as a filmmaker, and disturbed by reports that Stevie is not doing so good these days, James ventures to Stevie’s rural hometown of Pomona, Illinois for a reunion. The 23 year-old Stevie is indeed in bad shape. Unkempt, unshaven, tattooed and with seriously bad teeth, he is full of resentment for his mother, a teeny bit racist, and frequently in trouble with the law.

 

Two years later when James visits once more, Stevie’s in even more trouble. He’s been charged with the shocking crime of molesting his 8 year-old niece. And although in denial (he blames it on his mother making a false allegation), he’s likely guilty of the crime. Even his fiancé Tonya, who may or may not be a bit intellectually disabled, doesn’t believe in his innocence. James sticks around, though, and he and his warm-hearted social worker wife Judy (who comes across as a real saint under the circumstances) try to help Stevie as much as they can, despite having obvious and natural reservations about letting him anywhere near their children. But there’s little anyone can do when Stevie himself is so stubbornly in denial and unwilling to engage in any kind of therapy or psychoanalysis. Molestation charge notwithstanding, he’s still not an especially nice guy, having admitted to beating his ex-wife, and even attempting (and failing) to kill his estranged mother. Meanwhile, we also witness Stevie’s strained, up-and-down relationship with his half-sister (who helps look after him now), and his mother, and to some degree, with James too (there’s some feeling on both sides that James abandoned his ‘little brother’ when he needed him most).

 

And I thought “Precious” was one of the most depressing movies ever made. I clearly didn’t know what I was in for. This 2002 documentary from Steve James (“Hoop Dreams”) is almost unbearably depressing. The difference between this and say “Precious”, is that this is a documentary and as such, I was able to get through it far easier because it is what it is because that’s how it’s supposed to be. This is a true story, and I don’t think there’s any way to lighten up this story and make it any more palatable, I’m afraid. This isn’t a journey everyone will want to take. Many will find that James is attempting to paint an ‘evil’ person in a sympathetic light and find excuses for their behaviour. Personally, I think Stevie was almost certainly guilty (his reported behaviour since this film’s release suggests he’s still not on the right path), and although I found it pretty easy to see the cycle of abuse and how he ended up in this predicament, I could never condone his behaviour nor have much sympathy for him. I did however, feel like I understood him relatively well by the end of the film, and although seriously unappealing, I can’t deny his story is interesting and in its own way, compelling. I think he was likely guilty and believe anyone guilty of such a thing deserves punishment, but at the same time, if ever there was a case of circumstance and the cycle of abuse affecting the way someone ends up, Stevie’s practically the poster child for it. I know most people consider child molesters to be monsters, but I think using such a fantastical label cheapens the horrific reality that these acts are committed by human beings. Monstrous acts committed by human beings, and there definitely are glimpses of the human being inside of Stevie throughout, that make the film even more uncomfortable to sit through (although I wouldn’t exactly say Stevie has redeeming qualities, more the potential for redeeming qualities if only he’d be less stubborn and go to counselling). Many people in similar circumstances to Stevie don’t end up doing what he is said to have done here, but there’s a difference between explaining why someone has done something and excusing it. This film certainly goes some way to explaining it. If nothing else, by showing the cycle of abuse and the rather horrible socioeconomic circumstances of Stevie and some of those around him, the film makes one think of his young cousin, who no matter the perpetrator of the crime against her, is going to have a tough road ahead of her. One hopes her future doesn’t end up resembling that of her accused molester.

 

Some have argued that James self-servingly injects himself into the film too much, that he interferes in the rather sordid and sad lives of these people (I say ‘sad’ without wanting to sound cruel or superior). At first I too was questioning his motives, however, by the end of the film, James seems to reveal a real personal connection to Stevie. In his own way, he feels responsible, as do his first foster family, for not looking out for Stevie when perhaps he needed them most. I thus don’t think he was intentionally and shamelessly exploiting them for his own cinematic glory. I think he genuinely cares, and it’s his wanting to help Stevie yet obvious repulsion at his crime that perhaps has him intruding a little more than the average documentarian would. He used to be his Big Brother, of course he cares, and intrusiveness be damned, it certainly gives the film a different vibe to a lot of other documentaries. The film really is about James too, not just Stevie, and so a level of intrusiveness was always going to come into play. He didn’t intend for the film to be so personal, I think he was initially just doing a catch-up with Stevie but more about how the ‘system’ had failed him. And then he stumbled upon Stevie’s legal predicament and it becomes about something else. I do, however, kinda feel as though this story should never have been filmed and I will likely never re-visit it again (Is there any point in seeing this story twice? I don’t think so). James had every right to re-visit his former Little Brother and try to help him out, but while I don’t think he was intentionally trying to exploit the situation, I question the benefit in making a film of this. Perhaps it raises awareness of the issues, and there is indeed a feeling of ‘what if?’ permeating the entire thing that is unmistakable. The scene where Stevie reconnects with his well-meaning first foster family (seemingly the most wonderful, understanding, and loving people on the planet), not only brings the waterworks (unless you’re made of stone), but it genuinely does make you question if the right family environment really can make all the difference in the development of a human being. I reckon it’s hard to look at Stevie’s first foster family and not come to the conclusion that his life probably would’ve turned out at least a bit better. Maybe it’s about kids needing consistent care and attention. At times Stevie looks and acts like someone who never had enough of a childhood to be able to make the proper transition to adulthood, and is stuck somewhere between the two. Unfortunately, one gets the sense that he’s now beyond any help even if he asked for it. This all makes the film interesting and thought-provoking, but it doesn’t necessarily make it worthy of being made when one considers the possible damage it could cause those featured in it, who perhaps don’t come out looking so wonderful. (This is almost beyond “Deliverance”-style depictions of ‘white trash’). It’s seriously hard to watch for this reason alone. I cringed in scenes with Stevie’s possibly intellectually disabled (or at least speech-affected or maybe even partially deaf) fiancé, not because I felt James was intentionally exploiting the poor young woman, but still, one wonders how this film might have affected her (and several others in the film) in the years since. The poor girl, she loves Stevie (Why? Probably because she’s gotten no other offers. But hey, that’s better than me at the moment, so I’m not being superior, just realistic). It’s obvious she feels something for him, and one wonders how she has coped in the years since. I certainly hope she has found happiness and wonder if James has visited any of these people in the years since or if he has neglected Stevie all over again.

 

I had mixed feelings about this film, like “Capturing the Friedmans” (another admittedly compelling documentary concerning child molestation), I felt like I was witnessing someone else’s private life and things I shouldn’t have had access to. Still, it’s well-made, seemingly well-intentioned, and although thoroughly unpleasant, never boring (And considering the film runs over two hours, that’s pretty astonishing). As a case study of the cycle of abuse, it’s certainly interesting in an ugly way. If you know what you’re in for, this is definitely something to see once, if it even needed to be made at all. Maybe you’ll get even more out of it than I did.

 

Rating: B