The House I Live In (2012)

From the dealer to the narcotics officer, the inmate to the federal judge, a penetrating look inside America's criminal justice system, revealing the profound human rights implications of U.S. drug policy.

Director:

Eugene Jarecki

Writers:

Eugene Jarecki, Christopher St. John (additional writing)

Stars:

Eugene Jarecki, David Simon, Shanequa Benitez

4 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Eugene Jarecki	...	Self - Narrator / Interviewer
David Simon	...	Self - Creator, The Wire
Shanequa Benitez	...	Self
William Julius Wilson	...	Self - Harvard University (as Prof. William Julius Wilson)
Glendon Goldsboro	...	Self - Providence Police (as Lt. Glendon Goldsboro)
Fabio Zuena	...	Self - Providence Narcotics
David Kennedy	...	Self - John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Michael Correia	...	Self - Commanding Officer, Narcotics (as Lt. Michael Correia)
Charles Bowden	...	Self - Investigative Reporter
Gabor Maté	...	Self - Physician, Addiction Expert (as Dr. Gabor Maté)
Mark W. Bennett	...	Self - U.S. Federal Judge (as Hon. Mark Bennett)
Maurice Haltiwanger	...	Self - ID# 03678-029
Jim K. McGough	...	Self - Maurice's Lawyer (as Jim McGough)
Eric Franklin	...	Self - Lexington Corrections Center (as Warden Eric Franklin)
Mike Carpenter	...	Self - Chief of Security, Lexington Corrections

Storyline

From the dealer to the narcotics officer, the inmate to the federal judge, a penetrating look inside America's criminal justice system, revealing the profound human rights implications of U.S. drug policy.

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Plot Keywords:

u.s. mexico border | despair | american history | judge | federal judge | 

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Taglines:

An inside look at America's longest war.

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Genres:

Documentary

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Quotes

Himself - Physician, Addiction Expert: America's drug problem - a result of hundreds of years of history, economic policy, social policy, and misunderstanding. So let's not make the most physical manifestation of it - that is to say, people being out there on the street and using - the problem. It's not the problem. It's simply a manifestation of the problem. It's simply a symptom. It's sort of like saying that the problem with pneumonia is that you cough. "Let's suppress the cough, and that's okay." Well you can suppress the cough....

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Connections

Edited into Independent Lens: The House I Live In (2013)

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Soundtracks

FREE BIRD
Written by Allen Collins and Ronnie Van Zant
Published by Songs of Universal
On behalf of itself and EMI /Longitude Music
Performed by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Courtesy of Geffen Records
under license from Universal Music Enterprises

User Reviews

Our deadening country.

Eugene Jarecki's frightening and important film is a thorough investigation of the prison industrial complex and the "war on drugs" i.e. the war on poor people. It's a fair and balanced look at how it subsidizes thousands of jobs and locks up millions of innocent people. Unfortunately he misses a key argument against this war: adults should have the right to sovereignty over their consciousness. Drugs are slightly demonized throughout- the fact that the drugs themselves are inherently good- its people with no self control that give them a bad name- is never explored. Regardless, this is a fascinating look into a sick society in a dead and deadening country. Recommended.

Details

Official Sites:

BBC [United Kingdom] ITVS [United States]

Country:

Netherlands UK Germany Japan Australia USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 October 2012 (USA)

Also Known As:

The House I Live In

Filming Locations:

New Haven, Connecticut, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$16,453, 7 October 2012

Gross USA:

$210,752

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$219,159

Company Credits

Production Co:

Al Jazeera Documentary Channel, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Charlotte Street Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min 98 min (total run time)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1