Bless Their Little Hearts (1984)

There's an almost documentary feel to this short drama that follows the "Banks" family who are struggling to make ends meet. That's basically because husband/father "Charlie" (Nate Hardman) is habitually unemployed. This puts the strains on his wife "Andais" (Kaycee Moore) and their relationship whilst he imposes a very strict, masculine, discipline on their three children. There is a real paucity of dialogue in this as the intimately photographed imagery is left to show us the relentless mundanity of their lives. "Charlie" is not a nasty or violent man, but he is set in his ways and has no intention of straying from his own path - however inconsistent that may be with would be employers or his children who are, slowly but surely, beginning to show traits of adulthood and choice that he doesn't especially like. He is also not averse to playing on the other side of the blanket. There's a complex relationship going on here between the couple and Moore plays her part strongly. "Andais" is frustrated and disappointed with their lot in life, but is stoic enough to lose her temper but occasionally with a "Charlie" that she clearly loves, but finds exasperating at times. It's an observation of a snippet from their timeline. We join mid-flow and we leave in a similarly inconclusive fashion which, again, adds some realism to this depiction of life for an African American man whose predicaments and options are exclusively made on what he sees are his own terms.