Evolution of a Criminal was extremely enthusiastically received in its world premiere at Austin's SXSW Film Festival. The young director, Darius Clarke Monroe, tells his own story of how a 16-year-old black teenager from a struggling working class family in Houston became robbed a bank to help out his family with its financial struggles. He went to prison for a few years and has since graduated from college and attended NYU's Graduate Film program. In the film, Darius interviews with his family, accomplices, victims at the bank (who were not physically harmed) and the prosecutor to tell the story of what happened to him. He combines the interviews with reenactments of the bank robbery and events around it. The story provides the audience with a powerful portrait of how a bright young man feels compelled to commit a crime to help out his family. We often forget that crime is often motivated by economic struggles and not some deep-seated character flaw.
This film also shows that it is possible to turn one's life around. The most powerful message of this film is that ex-convicts can be rehabilitated and become law-abiding citizens as Darius has. Those folks – especially here in Texas – who want to lock-up criminals and throw away the keys need to see Darius's story. I hope that this film is widely-distributed so that people can learn from Darius's experiences.
This film also shows that it is possible to turn one's life around. The most powerful message of this film is that ex-convicts can be rehabilitated and become law-abiding citizens as Darius has. Those folks – especially here in Texas – who want to lock-up criminals and throw away the keys need to see Darius's story. I hope that this film is widely-distributed so that people can learn from Darius's experiences.