Free Ride (2013)

Free Ride Poster

A single mom in the 1970s raises her two daughters and becomes involved in illegal drug trade to make a better life.

Introduction
"Free Ride" is a 2013 crime-drama film directed by Shana Betz and based on her own life events. The plot includes Anna Paquin in the primary function as Christina, a single mom attempting to safeguard and provide for her two daughters in the late '70s by operating in the cannabis trade. The movie is a stark evaluation of the battles and obstacles that included navigating the criminal world and family dynamics in an earnest quote to protect a safer better life.

Plot
In "Free Ride," Christina, a single mom, leaves an abusive partner, leaves her 2 children, MJ (Liana Liberato) and Shell (Ava Acres), and relocates to Florida after a possibility encounter with a friend who assures her a much better life. Little did she understand that the "much better life" would include her getting sucked into the marijuana trade, a high-risk choice but one Christina constructs of desperation to provide for her children. The movie doesn't avoid the allure of Christina's new lifestyle, presenting the controlled substance trade as a space of quasi-communal support and monetary independence, particularly for a female trying to leave her struggling past.

Character Development
Christina is the focus of the story, and she is represented as a victim of circumstance who is continuously battling to offer her household a decent life. She's drawn into the underworld by the allure of simple money, and the film does a truthful job of illustrating her internal battle. MJ and Shell, her children, likewise show commendable character arcs. MJ, the elder, starts to question her mom's options and even implicates Christina of caring more about her criminal good friends than her own family.

Resolution and Conclusion
As Christina's participation in the drug trade deepens, the stakes rise. The police tightens its grip, and Christina's life starts to unwind. A terrible incident involving among Christina's colleagues serving as a reality check about the hazards of her selected path. Recognizing the danger that her way of life positions to her family, Christina refuses to comply with law enforcement, taking on a prison sentence rather.

In the end, Christina's love for her children and desire to safeguard them remains a constant style throughout the movie. "Free Ride" concludes leaving the audience with a stark realization about the choices and sacrifices often made in desperation, particularly by those cornered by circumstances, in an effort to guarantee survival and better life prospects.

Total Review
"Free Ride" is a sobering look at the length a mom will go to protect and offer her children. Anna Paquin's representation of Christina uses a subtle reflection of a lady under tremendous strain, extended between the severe reality of poverty and her operate in the drug trade. The story is sometimes sluggish, but it's saved by the unbelievable efficiencies from the main cast, especially Paquin, Liberato, and Acres. The impactful ending, despite the fact that it leaves the audience without any clear answers, strikes home, making it a movie worth enjoying. This directorial launching by Shana Betz is a commendable effort, weaving a semi-autobiographical tale of survival, motherhood, and difficult choices in the face of misfortune.

Top Cast

  • Anna Paquin (small)
    Anna Paquin
    Christina
  • Cam Gigandet (small)
    Cam Gigandet
    Ray
  • Drea de Matteo (small)
    Drea de Matteo
    Sandy
  • Liana Liberato (small)
    Liana Liberato
    MJ
  • Eddie Pepitone (small)
    Eddie Pepitone
    BK
  • Brit Morgan (small)
    Brit Morgan
    Rain
  • Daniella Garcia-Lorido (small)
    Daniella Garcia-Lorido
    Zada
  • Sabrina Gennarino (small)
    Sabrina Gennarino
    Gina
  • Ava Acres (small)
    Ava Acres
    Shell
  • Kyle T. Heffner (small)
    Kyle T. Heffner
    Duane
  • Lloyd Owen (small)
    Lloyd Owen
    The Captain