Spencer Lofranco, a good-looking kid bearing an uncanny resemblance to a young Matt Damon, is 14-yr-old James. We learn that he had been in various troubles since he was 6 yrs old, and now at 14 he seemed to have only one chance left. But discouraged he cut his ankle monitor, leaves mom and little sister, and went off to work for a small time drug dealer. He gets the nickname 'Jamesy Boy'.
The movie is edited in a particular way. It cuts between James in his somewhat short career in the drug business, and James in prison with hardened prisoners. Once I figured out the editing it worked well, probably batter than if it had been a time-linear edit.
So the big question becomes, will James just end up as another statistic, a criminal kept alive by the state? Or will be gain some insight and set out to improve his life?
The telling influence was hardened murderer Ving Rhames as Conrad, who was respected by all the others and basically left alone. Somehow he and James began to interact and it was this spark that enabled James to figure out a few things and make use of his parole after 4 years.
This is based on a true story, a photo of the real James is shown, at the time 25, had moved to New York and was in the process of getting his life straightened out.
Mary-Louise Parker is good as his mother Tracy. Taissa Farmiga, still a teen, was especially effective as Sarah, the girl minding the C-store who became a girlfriend of sorts to James, but could not put up with his criminal involvements. James Woods is effective as the warden, Lt. Falton.
Found it on Netflix streaming movies.
