Wow, how does a film like this fly under the radar??

. . . I was unimpressed.

Too bad Gere didn't want to portray a homeless person in a different way.

Rather than garner any sympathy for some homeless - he portrayed all the reasons I personally disdain:

Self pity

Begging for money (in your 'space')

Urinating on the street

Being impatient or uncooperative with the social workers trying to help

Spending every penny he had on alcohol, sold his coat for alcohol, then went to a church & got another coat free, then sold that one for more beer . . .


The communication with his daughter came across like he
was looking for sympathy - he did have money to pay for a beer - Then he used his coalition letter to apparently, make her feel sorry for him. She than gave his money back & gave him the beer on the house and he asked for ANOTHER - at which point she repeatedly asked him to leave - and he left and didn't even leave her a tip ...

And bc every kid DOES really love even a sorry parent, the last scene is her chasing after him to who knows what end . . .


I would've much prefered to see a really mentally ill person portrayed than a guy wallowing in self-pity from the death of his ex-wife and his penchant for alcohol.

Sorry if I seem 'cold' - but I've BEEN homeless - it lasted about 2 weeks and I did something about it.

I can certainly understand some situations that drive people to homelessness.

I had much more empathy for Sedgwick's character - obviously sexually abused by her step-father, ran away from home, became a prostitute, and managed to extract herself from that life, at least attempting to support herself to some degree selling cans, not asking for handouts, looking for opportunities: when George offered to share his 6-pack, she said, 'Can I have the cans?'
There's a person I would try to help.

Meanwhile, when you see homeless people deficating in the bushes in a park, or in the bushes right outside a municipal building or church - I just have no sympathy.

I WORK for every penny I get.
I get behind on bill's. Life is a bit of a struggle sometimes, but I will help people.
But I will not give a nickle to someone who just asks for a handout.

I've offered homeless people work, I've offered to buy them a meal - but nine times out of ten, they refused the offer - they blatantly just wanted me to hand them money which I did not do.

Almost every time I go to town, there's some crack head who comes up and asks me for 'some change' or 'a couple dollars'.

Here I am single, older, drivin' a 15 year old truck. It infuriates me.

But I have a new reply for these people: I just kinda grin and say, 'Man! I was about to ask you the same thing!'

They always look so surprised by this.
lol