I've been an IMDB member for several years, seen and rated countless films and never been moved to write a review until now. My heart is simply broken after watching the ups and downs of the people we get to know in this documentary and bearing witness to the literal highs and lows that decide their fate. Early on I became somewhat irritated by the film-maker as he seemed to condone and almost egg on the subjects actions but I think as he matured (or perhaps his filmmaking did) he simply let their stories tell themselves, and that's when I found myself wholly invested and wishing to see a happy ending for these people. We got a painfully honest ending instead.
Paying special attention to the children involved and seeing their lives ripped apart by their parent's addiction is one of the toughest parts to witness. They deserved to grow up without recognizing track marks or staying up late every night wondering if their loved one will return. This film will stick with me for days and is highly recommended even though it becomes very tough to watch.
*Note: as another reviewer pointed out there are some extremely graphic scenes involving one of the film's subjects, so be warned to turn away and perhaps just listen during that portion.
Life of Crime 1984-2020
2021
Action / Biography / Crime / Documentary
Life of Crime 1984-2020
2021
Action / Biography / Crime / Documentary
Plot summary
An intimate documentary that looks at the vicious cycles of drug addiction and street crime in one of the roughest parts of New Jersey.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
December 01, 2021 at 12:01 PM
Director
Top cast
Tech specs
720p.WEB 1080p.WEBMovie Reviews
Emotional rollercoaster ride through 3 decades of drug use
As Real as it Gets
After the first 2 minutes of the film, I had to stop and search IMDB to see if this was a real doc or a mockumentary (e.g. Found footage). At the opening we are introduced to three crooks, and later a girlfriend that are so over the top, brazen and ridiculous in their escapades that I could not believe it was real. LOC walks through a landscape of knucklehead families, parentless children, petty theft, a broken criminal justice system, prostitution, AIDS, job loss in America, etc..
Early on we are then introduced to their family life and circle of friends that are not much better off than them. One guys father appears so broken and beaten in life he flinches each time his son makes an animated or sudden move. Parental abuse? A girlfriend is openly beaten by another guy over her pregnancy, they have only been dating a month. From here it spirals revealing the almost impossible task of escaping this life and its environment. After long stints in prison, they all come out with a more sober view of the world intent on change, but it is tough to make it materialize.
At times I felt the director was almost too removed in achieving his product. At one point a 6-year-old sits in an open window on the second floor. After he gets his shot, he points it out to his older (10 yo?) sister who tells him to get down. There are several times the director can be heard asking questions that are almost ghoulish and exploitative. I guess usually we don't hear the prompting questions from other directors.
Regardless, I was going to give it a 9, but the way this hit me emotionally I bumped it up to a 10. Where "Cape Cod Heroin" and "Dope Sick Love" stopped short of really showing the amount of crime that goes with addiction, LOC stays with it.
Classic HBO
Incredible documentary. Maybe the rawest, unfiltered & emotionally charged films I have ever seen. This should be mandatory viewing in the education system. This will change the way you view addiction, the legal system & humanity as a whole, Jon Alpert's commitment to the project over a 35+ year period is something to be witnessed. How this is not getting the mainstream attention it deserves is beyond me, a truly must see film.