Scanialara You won't be disappointed!

Stoutor It's not great by any means, but it's a pretty good movie that didn't leave me filled with regret for investing time in it.

Maidexpl Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

FirstWitch A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Michael O'Keefe Damian Harris directs/writes this sad and eye opening drama. At the age of eight, Leslie Whitehead(Ryan Simpkins)is kidnapped by a scheming man named Alex(Tom Arnold)and his young partner Frank(Kevin Zegers). Alex will tell the girl that her parents no longer want her and can have a better life without her. She and another victim named Donnie(Jermaine Scooter Smith)are forced into child prostitution and pornography. The two will try to cope by pretending they are in an imaginary world based on The Jungle Book. After about nine years of horror the two are dumped on the streets. Now Leslie(Gillian Jacobs)and Donnie(Evan Ross) have only each other to depend on. They will survive the streets the best they know how...prostitution. Thanks to a shelter counselor(John Malkovich), Leslie tries to return to her parents. But will this be a success? The teen will wonder if Donnie just disappeared or met mishap. Haunting, sad and disgraceful. The Harris bases GARDEN of the NIGHT on two years of personal research. Arnold is outstanding in the role. Also in the cast: Harold Perrineau, Jeremy Sisto and Landall Goolsby.

Knox D Alford III (knoxiii) This movie was an excellent portrayal of what I suspect is a realistic account of a girl & boy growing up way too fast. What happens to the children on milk cartons? This movie endeavors to show what too often can & does. I can hardly think of a more serious topic, but I want to reassure viewers that the movie is filmed in a way that reveals the horrible situations with integrity & nothing graphic is shown. Your only repulsion should come from an expanded understanding of what can happen to children and the twisted ways their minds are manipulated to deal with the perverse dilemmas they are forced to reconcile in their young minds. The movie deals with so many issues in under two hours, which is impressive. Abduction, underage sex trafficking, methods of sex traffickers, runaways, homeless youth, the world-view & hardened emotions that manifest in dealing in this world, & the stories of extremely difficult survival for kids with no home. Again, it is amazing the director accomplished all of this subject matter without exploiting the actors themselves. While the ideas are revolting, your heart responds with a greater love & understanding of the victims of this ugly subculture of humanity.Jillian Jacobs is astounding in a hardened but not too hard role as a teen who has been pushed beyond the limits of morality & maintains a softness & concern for others, rejecting the behaviors of abuse & subjugation she has been exposed to. Sadly, this is not common in the family life cycle. Normally, we learn from what we see and experience & then duplicate that in our own lives, because how would we know otherwise? As this movie involved the journey of a boy & a girl through hell on earth, it should come as no surprise to hear it was a gripping thriller that demanded to be watched to completion. I enjoyed it because it informed my imagination & broadened my understanding of the causes & effects of many of our culture's most despicable acts & brought to life in as tasteful way as I could imagine, how these events are processed by children. Any movie that expands our collective consciousness achieves one of the cinema's primary objectives & deserves our heartfelt appreciation. I rate this a 7/10 stars because of all of the above & the way Jillian Jacobs toes the line in her portrayal of a thoroughly sympathetic character throughout. This was not an easy role. If you enjoy thrillers & dramas & wouldn't mind becoming more informed about these issues, this is a must-see movie. Knox D. Alford, III

Tod Dlobies ....unfortunately. It made me viscerally ill to watch. The message, as told, was poignant to the point of discomfort in the watcher. Yet, it's still a must see movie.Everything begins with a confusing opening scene of a young woman in an obviously less than ideal situation contemplating. Her life, her options, her choices? We don't know. The reason becomes clear as we are driven to accept the worst through the following scene of the innocuous morning routine of an elementary aged schoolgirl that quickly grows recognizable for the darkness it portends.Astoundingly well written, and equally well portrayed, "Gardens" doesn't simply rely on the shocking subject matter of child abduction and exploitation to grip it's audience. The play of absolutes being blurred (with accompanying emotional turmoil) while never losing sight of the abomination of child sexual exploitation are what truly captivated this viewer.Kudos to all involved with "Gardens". It's rare a when a movie can treat it's subject matter so honestly while retaining cinematic quality. Don't miss this movie, but, get ready for a gut wrenching story that will leave it's mark on your thoughts for years to come.

Geeky Randy Drama about San Diego streetwalkers Jacobs and Ross and how they came to be through years of sexual abuse. Brave, disturbing and insightful, yet strangely ceases to be thought-provoking—it pretty much is what it is. Tom Arnold is standout in possibly the best role of his career, not to mention Perrineau pulling the audience into Hell with just one unforgettably disturbing scene. Suffers from the FULL METAL JACKET-effect, where the first act easily tops the second act—and something is askew when the child actors (Simpkins and Smith) are easily stronger than the adult actors playing the same characters (Jacobs and Ross). The romantic undertones between the two leads are interesting, but nonetheless questionable as it distracts and interrupts more important conflicts at hand.**½ (out of four)