On “Streetwise”

“Streetwise” was an extremely haunting film that told the stories of the homeless and street-roaming children of Seattle. It was really an emotionally and mentally exhausting documentary to watch; by the end I felt a sense of melancholy that I couldn’t explain. I think the reason why viewing “Streetwise” can be a difficult experience is because of how personal it is; the filmmakers obviously developed a intimate relationship with all the children, and their honesty made their stories on screen so raw and realistic. There are no formalities, no sugarcoating, and “Streetwise” dives right into the gritty world of the Seattle streets. The way Martin Bell filmed “Streetwise” successfully allowed the viewer to see the bleakness and despair of the streets of Seattle, but it also shows the very real relationships and dynamics between all the people involved. I think the reason I found “Streetwise” to be so striking was because of the fact that it showed the truth of a harsh reality, and all its beautiful and miserable aspects. My favorite scene was the opening scene; Rat’s voiceover laments, “I love to fly. It’s just, you’re alone with peace and quiet, nothing around you but clear, blue sky. No one to hassle you. No one to tell you where to go or what to do. The only bad part about flying is having to come back down to the fucking world,” as his body hits the water, perfectly illustrating the poetic tragedy of “Streetwise”.