Long Gone (2003)

User Rating:

8.3/10   

Directors:

Jack Cahill
David Eberhardt

Genre:

Documentary

Plot:

Documentary about 6 tramps who hop trains in America. |

Awards:

4 wins

Cast

Jessie	...	Herself
Horizontal John	...	Himself
Joshua Long Gone	...	Himself
New York Slim	...	Himself
Stonie	...	Himself
Dogman Tony	...	Himself

Runtime:

USA:90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Long Gone

Long Gone is one of the most accurate documentaries I have ever seen about riding freight trains in North America. The film is raw but beautiful, put together well but not overdone. Most importantly, the film allows the viewer a glimpse into the daily lives of REAL people. The characters are a mixture of Vietnam veterans and punks, drunkards and tellers of tall-tales - folks that society chooses to ignore, assuming ignorance and/or violence, an obvious fear of what is not understood. These people will show the viewer the beauty in their world - the beauty usually only seen by those who ride the freight trains through obscure parts of the country. The viewer will see the brotherhood in a notorious "gang" of train riders, the hardships of panhandling and complete poverty while on the move, struggle with drug addiction and alcoholism, vengeance, love, and ultimately death.

Unlike many documentaries, this film was captured from an insiders point of view - not from liberal media or a mainstream reporter. Jack Cahill (director) rode the trains with these people, forming lasting relationships with them that go far beyond a report on the inside of an entire sub-culture of people that society rarely are allowed a glance into.

This film does not have an unrealistic happy ending. Ultimately, the film is sad, but honest. What happens in the lives of the cast happens on film and although it may not necessarily be what one would expect, the truth unfolds in the end, scary, sad and beautiful.