Homeless men and bag ladies are often seen pushing shopping carts through the cities and small towns of America, but have you ever wondered just what's in those carts? In this short documentary, 30 homeless men and women face the camera and reveal that the contents are almost anything they find that can be sold or traded (one woman, whose daughter was placed in a foster home, collects toys for her occasional visits to the child), as well as essentials including discarded clothing, razors, firewood, knives for protection, bottled water for "street showers," and even the occasional tattered Bible. Most admit to being homeless for anywhere from a couple of months to several years (one man has been on the street for over 30 years), often as result of a downward spiral fueled by drugs and alcohol, and for many the act of getting high (mostly on crack) remains their daily preoccupation. For these unfortunates, life has settled into a grim routine of making ends meet (some women turn tricks for cash), while living under the ever present threat of violence (the smart ones "buddy up" and "watch each other's back"). While Life in a Basket deserves credit for casting a bright light on one form of bleak poverty in America's land of plenty, no solutions are suggested and no social workers are interviewed, making this a rather superficial look at an urgent problem. Optional. Aud: C, P. (S. Rees)
Life in a Basket
(2005) 32 min. VHS: $99.95: public libraries; $195: colleges & universities. The Cinema Guild. PPR. Volume 21, Issue 1
Life in a Basket
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