Curfew is a short film written by and starring Shawn Christensen. Shawn plays a young man name Richie who deals with a drug addiction and depression by a way of attempting suicide. Richie's suicide attempt is interrupted by his estranged sister Maggie (Kim Allen) who hasn't spoke to him in years. Maggie calls Richie and asks him to look after his nine year old niece; Sophia (Fatima Ptacek) for a few hours while she deals with a situation. Richie is not the ideal babysitter, but, Maggie has no one else to turn to so he agrees to take on the responsibility.
When Sophia first meets her uncle Richie she gives him a hard time by stating the rules of how to look after her. They spend several hours getting to know each other; eating fries, going bowling, and looking at a memoir of Richie's childhood memories. By surprise the two of them begin to bond. Richie learns some valuable lessons about the unexpected joys of life through bonding with his niece. Sophia and Richie build a connection and she helps him see that life is worth living for. The two of them are out to eat and she is asking him lots of questions trying to figure out what his life is all about. She talks to him as if she is the adult and he is the child. Richie becomes frustrated; he wants her to shut up and eat. Sophia helps Richie realize how much he is missing in life by pointing out the things he don't have. The acting was amazing. Fatima played the character of Sophia really well as if she's been acting all her life.
This film reminds me of Man on Fire starring Denzel Washington and Dakota Fanning. The themes are similar in nature. Man on Fire is about a former US Intelligence Agent Creasy, who is withdrawn from all the violence and corruption in the world. He is hired to guard ten year old Pita, played by Dakota Fanning. Pita teaches Creasy how to soften up, live a little and to look on the bright side of things. Sophia and Pita are two young, innocent individuals at the beginning stage of their lives. These two angels' helps two men turn their situation around and see the joy in living.
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