GIRLHOOD — *** 1/2 — Documentary featuring interviews with Shanae Owens, Megan Jensen and others; not rated, probable R (profanity, drug use); see "Playing at local movie theaters" for theater listings.
"Girlhood" sounds more like the title of a coming-of-age vehicle designed for Mandy Moore or Hilary Duff. Instead, it's something infinitely better, with considerably more emotional resonance.
This is the latest feature-length non-fiction film from documentarian Liz Garbus, who has spotlighted imprisonment in 2002's "The Execution of Wanda June" and the 1998 Oscar-nominee "The Farm: Angola USA."
As with those two films, "Girlhood" looks at the incarceration of violent-crime offenders. However, this fascinating and, at times, surprisingly moving documentary also deals with rehabilitation efforts, as its subjects are adolescent/teenage girls.
Garbus focuses on two girls who, as the film begins, are being held in one of Maryland's Juvenile Corrections facilities. Shanae Owens has been in for a couple of years after having stabbed another girl to death with a steak knife. The time in lockup seems to have done Shanae some good, as she's become a model prisoner. She also looks forward to the day when she can go home with her mother.
Meanwhile, Megan Jensen isn't exactly endearing herself to the facility staff (to say she has a bad attitude is putting it mildly). But her prospects for early release are better than Shanae's, since her crime was less serious. The catch is that social workers trying to help Megan must either find a foster home for her or wait for her mother to be released from prison.
Give Garbus credit for choosing her subjects wisely. Each girl's story is interesting enough to deserve its own movie, but Garbus uses the contrasts in their attitudes toward rehabilitation and incarceration to score several points.
Of the two girls, the clearly repentant Owens is most endearing. And even if you have some misgivings about her past misdeeds (which is understandable), you may just find yourself rooting for her to be freed.
"Girlhood" is not rated but would probably receive an R for scattered use of strong sexual profanity and scenes of drug use (marijuana). Running time: 82 minutes.
E-MAIL: jeff@desnews.com