While the other commenter got it right about this being a great documentary, I am almost insulted by the way he is so flippant about this film. This is one of the most, in fact THE most emotion-wrecking, harrowing, saddening documentary I have ever watched.
In my earlier days I used to move around places, living on the road, playing guitar etc. This lifestyle brought me into areas and situations not unlike the main premise of this film: In and around 'druggies' and living on the lowest rung of the ladder. I saw so many things, met so many people from freaks to weirdos to the worst drug addled morons you could imagine and yet, this film brought the true reality of the situation to me as if for the first time. It opens your eyes to what it is truly like for the individuals that have ended up being 'those druggies' that everyone knows of or might even have known at some point in their life. I was shocked that it affected me, after all I have seen and places I've slept, etc...yet I had -as I suspect most people do- just glossed over it and never really noticed the disintegration of the human condition as is presented to the viewer of this film. At the start you are not concerned for these people. You have the usual blinkers on and will most likely look at them with a sneer whilst considering switching the film off and doing something more worthwhile. Then, keep watching of course, you are taken in by the subtle and blatant situations and conversations of these three addicts. the pain and screams behind their eyes is regularly apparent throughout. You empathise at times. You get angry at them too. In effect, this film is so powerful because you become so involved that you really do care for these people by the end. You want them to clean up. You want them to do well. I would never laugh at this movie or describe it as a train wreck. I wouldn't want to watch such 'heavy' stuff very often either but I think it is good to be made aware of someone else's reality, especially if it is as common and cursed as the crack problems of the world. It wouldn't harm you to take a real look at it and see how stripped of everything a human can become - by their own making.
It is profound.
If ever there was a way of showing kids that taking (certain) drugs can do them untold harm, this movie is it. I wouldn't recommend showing it to young kids but, if my kid ever was suspected of taking any drugs (higher than weed I mean) then I wouldn't hesitate in showing him this movie. In fact I think I WILL show it when he is about 12 or 13.
This is a simple documentary with a basic camera following subject approach with the odd questioning from the cameraman/woman. It is probably the best documentary you will ever watch.
Unmissable.
In my earlier days I used to move around places, living on the road, playing guitar etc. This lifestyle brought me into areas and situations not unlike the main premise of this film: In and around 'druggies' and living on the lowest rung of the ladder. I saw so many things, met so many people from freaks to weirdos to the worst drug addled morons you could imagine and yet, this film brought the true reality of the situation to me as if for the first time. It opens your eyes to what it is truly like for the individuals that have ended up being 'those druggies' that everyone knows of or might even have known at some point in their life. I was shocked that it affected me, after all I have seen and places I've slept, etc...yet I had -as I suspect most people do- just glossed over it and never really noticed the disintegration of the human condition as is presented to the viewer of this film. At the start you are not concerned for these people. You have the usual blinkers on and will most likely look at them with a sneer whilst considering switching the film off and doing something more worthwhile. Then, keep watching of course, you are taken in by the subtle and blatant situations and conversations of these three addicts. the pain and screams behind their eyes is regularly apparent throughout. You empathise at times. You get angry at them too. In effect, this film is so powerful because you become so involved that you really do care for these people by the end. You want them to clean up. You want them to do well. I would never laugh at this movie or describe it as a train wreck. I wouldn't want to watch such 'heavy' stuff very often either but I think it is good to be made aware of someone else's reality, especially if it is as common and cursed as the crack problems of the world. It wouldn't harm you to take a real look at it and see how stripped of everything a human can become - by their own making.
It is profound.
If ever there was a way of showing kids that taking (certain) drugs can do them untold harm, this movie is it. I wouldn't recommend showing it to young kids but, if my kid ever was suspected of taking any drugs (higher than weed I mean) then I wouldn't hesitate in showing him this movie. In fact I think I WILL show it when he is about 12 or 13.
This is a simple documentary with a basic camera following subject approach with the odd questioning from the cameraman/woman. It is probably the best documentary you will ever watch.
Unmissable.