If you fancy the cinematic equivalent of a shock to your system, then Nora Fingscheidt’s System Crasher is for you. This indie film centers on a troublesome German foster child, Benni
(Helena Zengel), who has a mean temper. Seriously mean. She will kick, spit, and rinse you with names if you get on her nerves or touch her face. Her anger stems from early childhood abuse and an absentee mother who can’t look after her, so she's stuck in a foster system that can’t provide the focused care she needs. When a school aide arrives, things start to look up, but this isn’t a Disney movie, and sometimes orphans don’t get their happily ever after. Zengel delivers an awe-inspiring performance for someone so young in a smart and tight film exploring the damning limitations of the welfare system.