Teen — Burg !full!

Teen Burg , the latest indie drama from writer-director Jordan Mills, wears its influences on its sleeve—equal parts Kids and American Honey —but struggles to find its own voice amid the noise of its ambitious, handheld chaos. Set over one sweltering summer in a fading fast-food district nicknamed “the Burg,” the film follows a trio of bored, broke 16-year-olds—Mia (a raw debut by Celia Reyes), Dez (Liam Chu, all coiled anger), and quiet observer Kai (newcomer Samira Noor)—as they scheme to rob their own workplace, a rundown burger joint called Patty Palace.

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

Still, there’s genuine promise here. Mills captures the numbing economics of teen poverty without preaching, and the grainy 16mm cinematography gives the Burg an almost documentary grit. Teen Burg isn’t a home run, but it’s a striking first swing—a messy, angry, heartfelt portrait of kids who learned too early that nobody’s coming to save them. teen burg