MO
“Mo” is a coming-of-age story about the end of a close-knit friendship between two young men. Chris (19) and Mo(21) have known each other from when they were little growing up in the same neighborhood. Since they started high school the two have been nearly inseparable.
Chris and Mo spend a lot of time hanging out at the neighborhood square. Some of their friends engage in petty crime. In this circle of friends, Mo receives great respect due to his natural leadership, wisdom and charisma. Chris and Mo often hang out with the rest of the group, but donÂ’t necessarily fully belong to it. Mo because he has left petty crime behind and wants to move up in the criminal world. Chris never partook in any criminal activity, partly because of his close friendship with Mo, who has always looked out for him like an older brother. ChrisÂ’ position in the group is not weak because of this, he is well-liked for his stories and good sense of humor.
Mo gets caught for a crime and ends up in jail, where he meets people who can help him move up in the criminal world. When Chris visits Mo in jail, heÂ’s confronted with this new path in MoÂ’s life when he meets MoÂ’s cell mate Barry (29).
When Mo gets out of prison they spend a lot of time together like before. It is now really starting to bug Mo that Chris apparently has no ambition to make something of himself, something Mo himself wants more than anything. Mo is a fighter. He has never used his social disadvantages or his absent father as excuses. He has become more serious after his stay in prison, but also more cynical about ChrisÂ’ ideas about the future. Chris has to accept the fact that Mo doesnÂ’t believe in him the way he used to do.
It becomes clear that the two friends will drift apart, not because of the choices Mo makes, but because Chris doesnÂ’t make any at all. Chris now understands Mo saw something in him that he is not going to live up to.
An unspoken but tangible break in the friendship is the result.