"Street Days" is a georgian film about Checkie, a once respected man who became addicted to drugs. Now a pushover who hangs out with tramps, he is seen as trash by the world around him. Even his own wife is skeptical of his good intentions and wants little to do with him. Only his son seems to care for him a whole lot. When corrupt cops try to muscle him into getting his friends son "shot up" on heroin, he begins facing a crisis of conscience.
Checkie is not a bad man. He doesn't like to hurt others, doing only what is absolutely necessary to keep his addiction satisfied. Even when trying to do right by those around him, he finds himself almost helpless against the forces around him. In the eyes of others, he is at best, a living tragedy.In the hands of another film maker, such content would be mercilessly bleak, and while that wouldn't necessarily result in a worse film, I do appreciate the warmth seen throughout. Even in these dismal times, there are some moments of humanity that shine through, most prominently from Checkie himself, but also from the minister's son. One thing I do wish is we had more scenes of them together, as their relationship was potent and a centerpiece of the entire story, and I feel should have been given a tad more focus.
THe cinematography is solid, though I was thrown off by how crowded the shots were, when character pieces tend to be more intimate. Regardless of the reasoning behind this, I adjusted quickly enough, and the film does look quite good. The acting is top notch from all involved.
If you're expecting something akin to "The Basketball Diaries", "Requiem for a Dream" or such style, this film might not be for you. The drug use is not excessive, and the film focuses much more on the wider, long term consequences. Don't take that as me bashing the films I mentioned, I'm simply saying this is a different take on such material. If you're into slower, character driven pieces, this should be right at home for you.
8/10
