Streetwise
- Director: Martin Bell
- Writer: Cheryl McCall
- Producer: Cheryl McCall; Connie Nelson
CGiii Comment
Never underestimate the intelligence and deviousness of a child....especially when there is money involved.
Much has been said about the authenticity of this film...how authentic can a film be when there is a camera shoved in the faces of the subjects? Children do like to play to the camera...no matter how tough they are.
Yes, it does sound surprisingly eloquent. Yes, most scenes have been staged, you can't get this amount of artistic integrity from spontaneous filming.
What's important is the message that this film delivers...there are kids out there who have been failed miserably...by everyone...and that is an authentic tragedy which still perpetuates.
Surely, any film that highlights this societal failing is doing nothing but good - whether it was scripted or not.
Trailer...
The(ir) Blurb...
Portrays the lives of nine desperate teenagers. Thrown too young into a seedy grown up world, these runaways and castaways survive, but just barely. Rat, the dumpster diver. Tiny, the teen prostitute. Shellie, the baby-faced blonde. DeWayne, the hustler. All old beyond their years. All underage survivors fighting for life and love on the streets of downtown Seattle.
Cast & Characters
Roberta Joseph Hayes as Herself;
Baby Gramps as Himself;
Dewayne as Himself;
Kim as Herself;
Lillie as Herself;
Lulu as Herself;
Munchkin as Himself;
Patti as Herself;
Rat as Himself;
Shadow as Himself