evidence: But, Cretton clearly knew that the actor was something special, having cast Stanfield in the original short film, which won the Sundance prize for Short Filmmaking in 2009. Stanfield would then become the only actor to appear in both, starring in the feature-length film as Marcus, a 17-year-old struggling with his impending required departure from the group home. There are a few heartbreaking Marcus scenes, but perhaps none more so than his rap (seen below) about his life, ending with his continued mission to shave his head before he leaves. While it looks like Marcus’ life will have a tragic conclusion, he gets a happy ending — and a surprising backstory — courtesy of the final scene. And it’s not just Larson, Malek, and Stanfield that are the notable performers here. The Newsroom‘s John Gallagher Jr. is great as Grace’s boyfriend and coworker, providing some much-needed light moments amidst the darkness; Justified‘s Kaitlyn Dever turns in a strong performance as Jayden, a new arrival who Grace takes a personal interest in; and Brooklyn Nine-Nine‘s Stephanie Beatriz delivers a very non-Rosa performance.