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

In the past 40 years, the War on Drugs has accounted for 45 million arrests, made America the world's largest jailer, and destroyed impoverished communities at home and abroad.

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Genres:

Documentary

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Certificate:

Not Rated

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:

American Ghetto: Mayaku-sensô to sabetsu no rensa

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

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

Featured in Storyville: The House I Live In (2013) (2013)

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Soundtracks

IF YOU'RE EVER IN OKLAHOMA
Written by J.J. Cale
Published by BMG Platinum Songs on behalf of Audiogram Songs, Inc.
Performed by J.J. Cale
Courtesy of Mercury Records Limited
under license from Universal Music Enterprises

User Reviews

A Moving and Informative Introduction to the Untold Story of the Drug War

The House I Live In takes the complex issue of the failed war on drugs and breaks it down to a level that is both digestible and striking nonetheless. The film provides substantial historical evidence to make a powerful argument against the American war on drugs. The House I Live In exposes the many flaws of current anti-drug policies and strategies from a multitude of perspectives, drawing from historians and academics to front- of-the-line law enforcement and correctional officers alike. The film brilliantly ties these perspectives in a way that can effectively inspire viewers from all backgrounds to take a stand in confronting this largely unrecognized national issue.

The film provides an impressively broad set of data and evidence that cohesively screams one message—the war on drugs is a failure to the American public. As the first film focused solely on the subject, The House I Live In is undoubtedly one of the decade's most important films.