Benjamin Pratt review: ‘The Homestretch’ and faces of homelessness

THE HOMESTRETCH
A film by Anne De Mare and Kirsten Kelly
Documentary/DVD

Alas for those who lie on beds of ivory,
and lounge on their couches, and eat lambs from the flock, and calves from the stall;
who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp,
and like David improvise on instruments of music;
who drink wine from bowls,
and anoint themselves with the finest oils,
but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph!
Amos 6: 4-6

A billionaire is about to become our President. Twenty-two thousand Chicago public school students are homeless. An estimated 1.6 million homeless youth live in America. This is a moral issue, a very serious one, which our wealthy society fails to face and correct.

The Homestretch is a heart-wrenching film that confronts our souls as it follows Roque, Kasey and Anthony, three homeless teens, while they struggle to graduate from school and craft a future. This heart-breaking but uplifting documentary challenges stereotypes of homelessness. With unprecedented access into Chicago public schools, Night Ministry’s Crib emergency youth shelter, and Teen Living Programs’ Belfort House, homelessness is exposed. We meet these youth and their tireless, compassionate teachers who extend themselves way beyond their job descriptions.

The film invites us to grieve over the ruin of Joseph!

REVIEW by Benjamin Pratt

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