Stevie 2002

      Steve James was a Big Brother to Stephen Fielding in the early 80’s.  Stevie was 11 at the time and Steve was attending Southern Illinois University.  Stevie had been unwanted as a child and spent his early life in many foster homes.  Steve feels he abandoned Stephen when he left the area in 1985 and he wants to reconnect.  Stevie is now 23 years-old in 1995, he is still having problems with his relatives and his adult criminal behavior.  He is arrested and charged with a very serious crime.  Steve films the family for 4 ½ years.

     There isn’t any way to know if Stevie is innocent or guilty of his charged crime?  He’s had a hard life and can’t seem to stay out of trouble.  He has had counseling but doesn’t want to do this anymore as an adult.  I feel that at some point in a person’s life, they have to step aside from what happened in the past and stop letting it control their present.  His stepsister had better treatment as a child but she got away quickly, married young and kept her distance.  3* (This movie is OK) 

140 min, Doc directed by Steve James with Stephen Fielding, Tonya Gregory, Steve James, Bernice and Verna Hagler, Brenda and Doug Hickam, Judy James.

Note:  Imdb 8.0 out of 10, 91% critic 88% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Roger Evert 3 1/2*.

Special Note:  I found an update from 2012 about Stevie from director Steve James.  Stevie resettled in southern Illinois with help from his stepsister Brenda.  He received funds that had been set-aside for him for his participation in this film. Verna, his elderly grandmother, passed away in 2006, she had moved to a senior home.  Stevie and his girlfriend, Tonya, stopped their relationship a few years after filming.  Tonya, Stevie’s mom Bernice, stepsister Brenda and brother-in-law Doug plus their children also still live in southern Illinois.