Broken Doors

In this engaging short documentary, director Goro Toshima profiles a young homeless couple's struggle to survive on the streets of Hollywood. Living in an abandoned motel, Rico Bingham and Starr Boone spend each day trying to evade detection while figuring out how to eat and where to clean up. Rico, who grew up in foster care, misses running water and electricity, and Starr, who bounced between her mother and an aunt, acknowledges that “it's a tiring routine.” Starr finds a nearby Starbucks—which offers a restroom where she can brush her teeth and wash her face each morning—and discovers a free clinic where she takes a pregnancy test. When she tells Rico she's expecting, he takes the news surprisingly well, but neither has any idea how to proceed. The pair decide to start by looking for work and a new place to live. Unfortunately, no jobs are available—at least not in the local retail sector—and their “home” faces the wrecking ball, so they seek help from family members and state agencies, but assistance is not forthcoming. A sympathetic social worker does his best, but budget cuts have greatly reduced the number of shelter spots available. Rico and Starr are resourceful enough to find other places to squat, including building rooftops, but their situation deteriorates until a final resolution that, while not tragic, is bittersweet. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)