User reviews

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.

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.

Viewed via a virtual screening at DocNYC. Jon Alpert's seminal works One Year in a Life of Crime (1989) and Life of Crime 2 (1998) set the standard for the gritty documentaries HBO used to produce and set the tone for addiction docs that are prolific in the age of the internet. Following the lives of thieves and drug addicts in Newark, New Jersey, they were shocking and incredibly candid fly-on-the-wall documentaries. I was given both films in the 1990s on a VHS tape and have returned to them regularly over time, with Life of Crime 2 featuring one of the most haunting final shots I've ever seen in any film. The new production Life of Crime 1984-2020 acts as both a "greatest hits" of the first two films and a sequel catching up on the subjects. The first hour is essentially a condensed version of parts 1 & 2, but hardcore fans will still want to watch for the extra footage from those earlier shoots. The second hour catches viewers up on the whereabouts of Freddie, Rob, and Deliris post-1998. Again, it is harrowing peek into the mind of addicts, the cyclical nature of addiction and the ripple effect it has on the addicts' families. It gets very dark and I would warn viewers that one fate is particularly gruesome. Some may argue Alpert's motives, but I feel he always liked this trio and this is a fitting, if tragic, end to their relationship.

Probably the most incredibly raw, emotional and tough to watch documentary in tv history. It is filmed beginning in 1984 and takes you on a 36 year journey following the lives of three people up until the year 2020. I can't stress enough the importance of this film as a tool to show troubled teens what will happen if they choose a life of crime and drugs. I had to take a moment on several occasions because it was so graphic and troubling. Fair warning: this is not for the meek. Watch at your own discretion but prepare yourself. HBO proving once again why they are still the premier premium service.

Very powerful, gritty documentary. God bless all the people involved and their families for allowing their lives to be so graphically captured. This is a human story, a lot more common than we think. Just tragic and incredibly moving. A must see for any empathetic and compassionate human being.

The documentary gives a very dramatic informative insight into the lifestyle of criminals in New Jersey and what they had to do in order to survive. It showed that once you get into a life of crime it is very difficult to get out of it regardless of your once normal life.

For someone who wasn't even born in the 80s or 90s; it's fascinating to see what life was like in New Jersey back then.

I recommend y'all watch this beautiful time capsule of a docu movie.

This must watch documentary depicts the life of these people in such a raw and real way.

It really helps viewers understand and empathize with the heartbreaking reality of drug addicts.

I highly recommend this film.

As "Life In Crime 1984-2020" (2021 release; 122 min.) opens, we are told that three residents of Newark, NJ were filmed over the course of 36 years. We then go to "1984" and get to know Rob, Freddie and Deloris. Rob and a couple of his friends are stealing from stores left and right, in order to resell the stuff and make a few bucks. Freddie is just out of jail after serving 60 days for possession of cocaine. Deloris is a struggling young mother with a drug habit. Along the way we see Mike, a friend of Rob's, berating and beating his pregnant wife... At this point we are 10 min into the documentary.

Couple of comments: this is the latest documentary from veteran film maker Jon Alpert. Previously Alpert directed 1989's "One Year In a Life of Crime" and 1998's "Life of Crime 2". This latest film is in the same vein, but otherwise not related as such to the prior two documentaries. The most amazing thing of course is that this was filmed over a period covering almost 4 decades (besting Richard Linklaters' 2014 film "Boyhood", filmed over a mere 11 years, by several decades). This documentary is both sad and moving, Sad because at face value, Rob, Freddie and Deloris are low-lives and losers. Moving because your heart goes out to Rob, Freddie, and Deloris as they fight seemingly impossible odds to pull themselves out of a life of poverty, crime and drug addiction, month after year after decade. It's almost too much to take in, to be honest. One of the most devastating scenes in the film is when Deloris is confronted by one of her kids, a girl maybe 8 or 9 years old, asking Deloris whether she loves her kids (yes, she says), but then why does she keep doing drugs? Watch how Deloris responds... Beware: this movie isn't for the faint of heart. I myself looked away on a number of occasions.

"Life of Crime 1984-2020" recently premiered on HBO and is now available on HBO On Demand and HBO Max (where I caught it). HBO also has said that it plans to reissue the 2 earlier Jon Alpert documentaries, with updates as to what became of the people featured in those films. Meanwhile if you are in the mood for a tough, sad yet moving 'cinéma vérité' documentary about the day-to-day struggles of 3 people in Newark, NJ, I'd readily suggest you check this out and draw your own conclusion.

This has to be one of the most saddest documentary Iv seen..I never realized so many children grew up the way I did,and have the same exact outcome..watching this brought back so many bad but real life memories..my mom passed away in March from an overdose,so this documentary was pretty much about her life and how she lived it...it's devastating .

There lots of breaks in the narrative: people you meet in the beginning who just sort of disappear and leave you wondering "What happened to Bobby?" or "Why is this guy in court?" and "Why is he doing that?". The confusion could have been alleviated with some captions.

This documentary really hit home and showed the beginning to end struggles of drug addiction. Should be shown to kids in school in order to truly scare them straight away from drugs.

This is without a doubt one of rawest and most realist documentaries I've ever seen and I have see a few. In the end it feels personal no matter your views on addiction and it will leave you feeling shocked and helpless. Only HBO can deliver something as emotional as this.

Wow what a great piece of film - a real honest look into the life.

Being a sober addict my emotions were all over the place. Anyone wanting to get a first hand look at addiction should watch this - kudos Mr Jon Alpert.

I could related to a lot of this-i was 'out there' in 88 and 89, went from weekend partying to every day partying and hanging with all the druggies and learned that lifestyle-on 11/18/89, got stabbed and attacked by 1 man as another stood watch-i knew i was going to die but called on god and it was like 'time stood still' and he dropped me and i got away-been clean & sober since 11/19/89, just got 32 yrs.

I remember being awed when I saw the '98 documentary.. When I heard they did a follow up.. I was curious on how Rob and Freddie turned out. VERY intense, raw and REAL documentary on the impact of addiction on these people's lives. Very well done and impressive how the director got this much access into their lives. Must watch.

This is the final film in a trilogy of documentaries that was made over several decades. It follows three main people as they engage in small-scale crime, become addicted to drugs, do some prison time, break the cycle, relapse, and on and on in a distressing and depressing cycle.

As the title implies, events play out between 1984 and 2020, but the structure does warrant a disclaimer. The years between 1984 and 1998 were detailed in the first two Life of Crime films, which means that the first hour of this third film contains tons of footage that people who've watched the first two movies will have already seen.

I hadn't watched the first one in years, so I appreciated the 1980s years getting recapped, but I zoned out a little during the 1990s scenes, because I'd seen it all just hours beforehand. Because the first hour is a good recap, it might be worth just watching this final film for anyone interested in the series. Or for anyone who really doesn't want to miss anything, watch parts 1 and 2 (about three hours in total) and then skip the first hour of this two-hour documentary.

There's another disclaimer when it comes to watching this documentary: it's extremely confronting. The first two were tough to watch, but the scenes of drug use in this one were more graphic, and there's one very gruesome scene towards the end that's a difficult sight to comprehend. It's not there just for shock's sake, and serves a purpose, but it's very disturbing.

In covering so many years and showing all the cycles the subjects go through, this is definitely the most emotional of the bunch. I was willing to go easy on the recap-heavy first hour because of how brutally effective and well-made that second hour was, and how it made for such a strong ending.

All in all, these three films might be some of the best documentaries about crime, addiction, and the problems with many US institutions out there. It's hard but important viewing, and I don't think I'll forget it soon (even the comparatively less distressing first film stuck with me, and it's been about five years since I saw that one).

Jon alpert, you son of a gun, ill kneel in the dust to praise your patience and ability to connect to people in such a way that when the film come close to the end ,i feel like having had a fist drawn back and forth my duodeni at least ten times and i feel sore and worn out everywhere, because you are a godgiven messenger of fun and pain, good and evil, and the best preacher till now about all them lost their lives to the overdose in the american society, and really reflects the very few options as shown here the urban citizen has to resurrect and reconnect after them loosin their innoscence due to a crime or drugs or the like, how the prison in many ways become a rehab factory, and the probation officer system wrecks and shackles down every opportunity the person may have to stay clean , taking away their opportunity to start over again somewhere else far away like say top of a hill montana, because you have a duty to attend every day, three day , every week, and give a pee sample every week, no they are doomed to die because of their dept, ''and it shouldnt have to be like that'' a line taken outta song by ''fra lippo lippi''.

I have a family member that skidded the row at the time as you started filming, same age as rob in the film, he found the lord before he found him, still alive to tell the tale, but the way you have told the tale of the fallen angels of newark, should be curricular knowledge to every american kid and teenagers.

You will forever have a place in my heart jon, and may the three stooges rest in peace, and do give my love to their families if you see them around. Best regards and a film highly recommended by the norwegian grumpy old man.

Not a lot to say about this,just one of the most brutal tearful films I've seen...I can't tell you how many times I welled up on this film... I thank god I don't live in America... Just a must watch...the last 30 mins hurt...