Streets of Plenty (2009) Film Analysis Streets of Plenty is a 65 minutes Canadian documentary film based around the subjective

e experience of Misha, a middle-to-upper class white young man that chooses to live as a homeless person for 30 days. Set in the context of the selection of Vancouver as the host of the 21 st edition of the Olympic Games, the film tries to explore the disparity between [Downtown Eastside, an area famous for its problems relating poverty, open drug abuse and high risk behavior] and Vancouvers reputation as one of the worlds most livable cities. (02:15) After a debate with a friend over the real conditions and choices of a homeless person, Misha decides to experiment this kind of life for 30 days in December. The beginning of the experiment is marked by the abandoning of all possessions and a swim in the cold water of the bay. Wet, naked and having nothing but a backpack with a hidden camera, the subject wonders around the Downtown Eastside streets determined to experiment the real life of a homeless person, ranging from sleeping in different shelters and on the street, wearing charity clothes, earning money by washing car windshields, begging and gathering recyclables from trash containers. Although there are scenes that have been obviously planned or re-enacted, like the discussion with his policeman friend that led to the experiment or the interview with Gregor Robertson, most of the footage is either direct material shot on the camera carried by Misha or observational footage shot by another cameraman. One of the strong aspects of the film is the opportunity to gradually explore in more depth this unseen side of the city in a slow downwards spiral structure. If the experience of the first ten days as homeless was done in ideal conditions, sleeping in one of the best shelters in the city, healthy and attending various free activities in a resource center for the homeless, the meeting with Gerard, the self-declared lyrical gangster of Vancouver (15:10) marks a change of register. Misha now realizes that in order to fully understand, he will need to make life harder on himself. (16:27) Shortly, this easy life of choice will turn into an invisible and inescapable prison. After spending a few nights in a lower standard center and contacting gastroenteritis, Misha decides to spend the rest of the 30 days period sleeping on the streets. He will now experience a completely new dimension of life, one marked with uncertainty, lack of money and danger. It becomes more and more obvious at this stage that the subject will need to face extreme conditions he had not expected. As the action develops and the tension builds up, Mishas several relapses from the self-imposed conditions (like choosing to return to the first shelter for the Christmas night) make the viewers question whether he will be able to complete his quest. His previous amused and intrigued behavior now suffers an important change. Possibly one of the most shocking actions of the central character is the choice to push the experiment to the extreme, by also adding to the previous experiences drug consumption. At this point Gerards comments become more understandable for the viewer: although visibly more affected by the conditions he had to face, Misha finds it hard to find a group and a dealer willing to sell him Crack. Finally, he meets Crystal, the matriarch of the alley (36:50), who sells him the drug, helps him use it and shares her story. The plot now takes an unexpected turn for the viewer, who undergoes the cathartic effect of the drug consumption scenes among with Misha, due to post-productions editing style and mood music. Instead of a resolution, the comedown from the drug effects becomes a build-up for the peak moment of the film: the subjects experimentation of the presumably most famous high risk drug, Heroin. This is also an important moment because the viewers not only find that the director of this film is Mishas brother, but also assist to a discussion between the two in relation to Mishas intentions. The following scene has been shot in the only government-run clinic for injection-drug users, Insite. Here, the subject, with the aid of a healthcare worker, injects the drug. Mostly using footage shot with the hidden camera attached to the subjects blouse, this scene offers a first-hand experience of injection drug consumption, with the aid of post-production slow-motion effects and mood music. Further, the viewers follow Misha as he walks on the streets and are witnesses to an explicit description of the drugs effects, including the ones Crystal warns about. The intensity of the experience puts an end to the whole experiment, as the subject decides to return home five days before the end of the self-imposed month.

The experiments conclusions stress, through Mishas own words, the illusory perception the majority hold on homeless people: Life on the streets is easy when youre healthy, clean and living off all the free services, but the street catches up with you and when youre sick and on drugs, its a nightmare. The only difference is that I was able to wake up from it. (57:02) Gregor Robertson, the new mayor of Vancouver, is further interviewed in relation to his proposals regarding ending the homelessness in the city. Put against the next sequence, the viewer can easily see the idealism of his plans. The ending is very powerful and emotionally charged, as the viewers see real homeless people that speak looking straight in the camera and underline the invisible walls that separate two completely different worlds: If you come here and get addicted, you stay here, as these are the streets of plenty. (60:41) Sequence Analyses: Crack Alley (35:54 42:28) This sequence has been chosen as it is an important turning point in the structure of the film, the viewers undergoing an emotional and at the same time shocking experience by finding themselves witnesses to the reality of drug addiction and homelessness. The sequences shot in the Crack Alley metaphorically mirror the dive from the beginning, as the subject finds himself now completely emerged in this world: Im homeless and high in the nastiest alley in the city, but now I feel at home. Suddenly, these drug addicts, these complete strangers now seem like family. (38:02) Visual A wide shot with a long, dark alley. Audio Mishas voiceover describing the arrival in the Crack Alley, fading music and slow increasing of street sounds.

Medium close-up with a woman, then wide shot Woman speaking: You know what, I dont do drugs, with the same woman in the lower right side of the ok? Listen, Im an actress, ok? Im on tv. screen, sitting next to Misha and having a cigarette. The shot, taken with a hand-held camera, probably Voiceover introduces Jack. by someone unexperienced, frames Misha in the right side, and then moves on another man. Jack speaks to Misha while taking Crack. Jack: Yo, dont do that cause Im not gonna let you do it. Thatd be stupid, youd be an idiot. ()

Jack still speaking while other man approaches from ()Just dont put that camera on anybody else over the back. here Camera crabs quickly to the side. Camera approaching a group sitting on some stairs. Voiceover explaining: We didnt want to mess around so we moved to the other side, and thats where I met Crystal.

Camera from a point of view shot, then switching to Crystal, Misha, and another man speak. a low angle shot with man framed in medium shot. Still from a low angle, new shot with Misha in the right side of the screen. Misha asking instructions on how to use the drug.

Extreme close-up with Mishas hands opening a Sound of bag being torn. small bag with Crack. Medium close-up of Misha who, aided by Crystal, smokes Crack. Sound of lighter, inhaling and exhaling. Street sounds and sirens far in the back. As he exhales, music fades

in slowly and Crystals voice: Now youve got it!. Voiceover: Im homeless and high in the nastiest alley in the city, but now I feel at home. Suddenly, these drug addicts, these complete strangers now seem like Handheld shot following rats running on the alley, family. than cutaway with Crystal and Misha smoking, thank speaking. Crystal and Misha speaking. Low angle medium close up shot of Crystal speaking and smoking, with several jump cuts. Medium two-shot with Crystal and Misha speaking. Crystal speaking about her life. Misha asking Crystal about Crack.

Camera crabs to the left and right to follow the responses as Crystal, Misha and another man Crystal speaking to another man. discuss. Medium close up on Misha, than extreme close up to Voiceover describing the end of the high and stating: I accentuate his phrase. want more. Music on the background. Cutaways with dealer smoking a cigarette. Voiceover continues describing another round of Crack. Background music continues. Dealer and Crystal speak to a costumer. Background music continues. Several cutaways with customers approaching and Voiceover and music. buying Crack. Camera showing low angle shot of Misha buying Crack, than extreme close up with their hands as the dealer gives him the Crack. Side shot of dealer, Misha and Crystal. Misha does another shot of Crack while dealer speaks. Side shot of Crystal injecting herself while dealer speaks to Misha, now visibly drugged. Subtitles to help understanding what he is recounting. Camera moves back to fit all three of them in the frame. Middle close up side shot of Crystal and Misha. Crystal speaking about addiction. Music fades out slowly as she explains. Dealer tells his story. Background music gets a bit louder. Voices on the background.

Background music continues. Dealer speaking. Voices on the background.

Close-up with Crystal. Shot speed decreases until image almost frozen on screen, then image of expert Crystal speaking. Music fades in slowly with an expert speaking appears. speaking about addiction. Sandra Spighel