Streetwise

so dark and grim. streetwise paints a pretty disturbing picture of teenagers living life on the streets of 80s seattle, which at the time, was often billed as “america’s most liveable city”. throughout the film, we are subjected to the harsh realities that these kids have to endure, where extreme violence, petty crime, and even death are very credible threats. it is such a weird watch because despite all the very real tragedy and hardship that is front and centre, there is an oddly humorous quality to a fair bit of what’s happening. after all, they were just kids, and kids can make light of pretty much anything. the yearning they have for normality and stability is also just heartbreaking. i will be thinking of the conversation between dewayne and his incarcerated father for some time. brutal stuff. the film also reminds me of one of my favourite scenes from gus van sant’s my own private idaho. a scene that features multiple real life hustlers and street kids speaking of their experiences in and around the portland area. could tell instantly that this had to have been a massive inspiration. it’s a very difficult watch yet i found it be absolutely fantastic. so real.