Customer Reviews

Streetwise

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a realistic film of how it was. I lived as a street kid in Seattle in the early 80s. I was there as a runaway on the Ave and downtown. This film was actually made/filmed in 1982-83 and released in 1984.

The saddest part is the father in jail, helpless and shattered, full of regret. Great movie.

The filmmakers spending months with runaway teens on the streets of
Seattle, to gain their trust and allow them to be filmed.

There is something oddly 'stagy' about some of the behavior. The kids
are clearly aware of the camera. Yet, as one writer pointed out, that's
also part of the power of the film, since adolescence has so much
posturing and acting out anyway.

The film tries to stay un-judgemental and avoids commentating in obvious
ways, sometimes at the expense of seeming disconnected or uncomfortable
voyeuristic.

Yet there are moments of tremendous power here, both in seeing these
kids cling to what bits of joy they can find, and to each other, and in
seeing the grim realities of both their street and home lives, in
hard-to-believe detail. A variable film, but a special, important one.

It's absurd that this important, award winning documentary has never
been brought to DVD.

For those who suspect this film was "scripted" (not surprising in the current age of irony and cynicism) -- drop by Mary Ellen Mark's website (Photographs, do a web search) and click on Books, then "Streetwise," then read the preface and postscript, which reveals quite a bit more about the film. Then think to yourself -- do you know any *professional* adolescent actors talented enough to pull off a scripted version of Streetwise?

It should dawn on you then, that Streetwise is one of a kind. There may have been some hamming in front of the camera, but I'm fairly certain none of this was scripted. I'm not sure what it was competing against that year at the Academy Awards, but imagine if it had won... the film would certainly still be in print (probably restored and out on DVD), and the next generation would have the opportunity to see this important work of art... also, Martin Bell would probably have gotten more work as befits his incredible talents. As it stands, I figure this just may have been too painful to watch for Academy voters... or I wonder if they thought it was scripted too.

Anyway, this film is a "must-see" even if you have to buy an expensive, used copy. Of course I may be somewhat biased... I live in and grew up in (near) Seattle, and have met the director (I was living nearby where "American Heart" was filmed). Still, this is a truly unforgettable film -- it isn't easy to watch sometimes, but you'll be rewarded a hundred times over.

Streetwise is a compelling documentary and social study that spotlights the homeless population by focusing on adolescents. This invocative film highlights the effects of the dissolution of the two parent family and shows the effects of such on innocent children. Not since Paradise Lost has a film so firmly ingrained itsself in my conscience. this film is a must see for those who appreciate the forum of the documentary and presume to be concerned with the human condition and its development.

Tanya Chapman
B.A. Film Studies, University of Utah

Mary Ellen Mark and Martin Bell created the most memorable documentary ever .Steetwise should have won the oscar in which it was nominated for. As you experience the sad lifestyles of Erin,Lulu,Dewayne,Ratt,and the rest,you become attached to each of the street kids.You wonder what became of these young subjects after viewing the film. Mary Ellen Mark still keeps in contact with Erin.Erin has 5 children and lives in a Seattle apartment. Ratt disappeared from Seattle in late 1983,and hasnt been seen since. Patty and Munchkin broke up their relationship soon after the film was made.Munchkin is a chef in a Seattle restaurant. Lulu was stabbed in a fight in 1985 while defending a friend.About 319 people attended her funeral,as reported by CNN Headline News.

Perhaps the most heart-wrenching documentary ever made about society's throwaways, is this grim portrait of a group of Seattle teens, eeking out their collective homeless existence. Most remarkable, and unexpected, is the kids' seemingly baseless yet genuine optimism.

Well, the name STREETWISE says it all. This disturbing, heartbreaking and very accurate documentary about street kids is one of the best films I have ever seen. I have seen it many times, but every time I watch it, it blows me away. If you liked MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO, you really need to watch STREETWISE, because STREETWISE is the real thing.

This film was made in 1985 and, as some of the other reviewers have asked, I too am curious about how these "children" are doing now, fifteen years later. Specifically, I want to know who is still alive. That's the kind of film this is. These "characters" get inside your head. How could they not? These kids recite the details of their lives so matter of factly as they go about their business of every day survival in the urban jungle; the "details" of their lives being the most unbelievable, heartbreaking stories of abandonment, prostitution, abuse and neglect. I always come away from this film asking myself, "how could these kids get so short changed so early in life?" Sometimes you get a glimpse of the parents of these children and it's equally horrifying. If I was a suburban mom with kids growing up in the lap of luxury, I would insist that they watch this film. I know people in their 30's who think they're tough, who never had to spend a single day the ways these kids live. These children have EVERYTHING going against them and yet they manage somehow to have simple hopes and dreams. Some of them want a life that other people are just born into. If you grew up in comfort, you'll see some things you may take for granted that these children were never told how to do. One child thinks it's perfectly acceptable that people in love should fight. Another girl has difficulty getting her mom to just buy her some Avon. One boy thinks he can change his personality by changing his hair color.

The most disturbing thought that this film leaves you with is that this is just a microcosmic look at ALL the throwaway children in the U.S. This is a problem that still exists. It's not going away.

I watch this film repeatedly, as it keeps me on my toes. Just when I start to get too comfortable, I remember the reality of the have's and have not's in this country and I am appalled. I recommend this movie to anyone with a pulse.

I first saw this film back in 1987.I was 16 years old and had ran away from home 2 years earlier.I was fortunate enough to have parents who would take me back ,some of these kids weren't.I was 14 my friend was 15 we were left to sleep in the wood's alone and scared,in a big city I had never been to.This film STREETWISE has inspired me to make helping streetkids my lifes work.It is the most powerful film I've ever seen,by far!Praise GOD for Mary ellen Mark and Martin Bell,for tackling a subject so ignored!

just to let anyone interested know i went to the mary ellen mark website and she has picutres of tiny and her family now, tiny is 30 and has 7 children (mostly all from different fathers) i was sent an email that said mike (rats friend) now owns his own farm and is doing well. thats all i know, still curious as to what happened to patty, shadow, rat and the rest of them if anyone knows please email me.

I just rented this video and I cant get it out of my head. I cant stop wondering whatever happened to them, and where are they now. i was 12 when it was made and I couldnt imagine living like that, if anyone know what happened to any of them I would love to find out. great documentary!