Young Americans (2014)
A desperate foster teen and her lovesick classmate collide in this taut short crime drama about survival, manipulation, and a first bank robbery.
Young Americans - Movie Information
Young Americans - Plot
On the verge of aging out of foster care, seventeen year old Mercedes Harper needs money and she needs it now. She manipulates Denver Thomas, a former high school classmate (who happens to have a massive crush on her) to help her plan and execute a bank robbery.
Young Americans - Trailer
Watch the official trailer and see the tension unfold:
First Love. First Kiss. First Bank Robbery.
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Young Americans - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Kevin Lacy
Main Cast
- Stevie Lynn Jones
- Matthew Van Oss
- Michelle Bernard
- John Nicholas
Young Americans - FAQs
What is Young Americans about?
Young Americans follows Mercedes Harper, a seventeen-year-old on the verge of aging out of foster care who desperately needs money. She manipulates Denver Thomas, a classmate with a massive crush on her, into helping her plan and carry out a bank robbery. It's a tense, character-driven short film about survival, desperation, and young love gone sideways.
Is Young Americans based on a true story?
Young Americans is an original fictional story. While it draws on very real social issues — particularly the vulnerability of teenagers aging out of the foster care system — the characters and events are not based on any specific real-life incident.
Where can you watch Young Americans online?
You can check current streaming and viewing options for Young Americans on JustWatch, which tracks availability across platforms in your region. Options may include rental or purchase depending on where you are located.
Why does Mercedes manipulate Denver in Young Americans?
Mercedes uses Denver's obvious crush on her as leverage because she has no other options. Facing life without a safety net once she ages out of foster care, she turns to the one resource available to her — someone who cares about her deeply enough to take a dangerous risk on her behalf.
Who are the main actors in Young Americans?
The film stars Stevie Lynn Jones as Mercedes Harper, the resourceful and desperate foster teen at the center of the story, and Matthew Van Oss as Denver Thomas, her lovesick accomplice. Michelle Bernard plays Tori Harper, and John Nicholas appears as Detective Riley.
How long is Young Americans?
Young Americans runs just 30 minutes, making it a short film. Despite its brief runtime, it packs in a complete story arc — from Mercedes's desperate situation to the bank robbery itself — delivering a tight, focused narrative that doesn't waste a single minute.
What movies are similar to Young Americans?
If Young Americans caught your attention, you might enjoy Baby Driver, Bottle Rocket, or Bandits — all crime films with youthful energy and a mix of romance and heist tension. For shorter or more offbeat fare, La Jetée and She Runs offer similarly compact, character-focused storytelling.
Who directed Young Americans and what was the budget?
Young Americans was directed by Kevin Lacy and produced on a lean budget of $60,000 — a remarkable constraint for a film with this level of narrative ambition. The tight budget reflects the independent spirit of the project and highlights what skilled filmmakers can achieve with limited resources.
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