Not so long ago, I reviewed a documentary about homelessness in America titled Americans with No Address. While that laid out the sobering facts of homelessness in America, Julia Verdin’s dramatic feature, No Address, is it’s companion piece, showing us the issue’s human side and emotional depth.
Recent high school graduate Lauren (Isabella Ferreira) arrives home only to discover her foster mother has kicked her out since she no longer receives government money for housing her. With nowhere to go, Lauren is homeless and, after almost being assaulted, finds shelter at a local homeless encampment. Those living in there don’t trust Lauren and want her to leave, but she finds friends in Jimmy (Lucas Jade Zumann), who lives there after escaping his abusive father. Lauren’s new circle of friends includes veteran Harris (Xander Berkeley), dementia sufferer Dora (Beverly D’Angelo), and addict Violet (Ashanti).
No one in the community wants this homeless encampment in their backyard. The city has promised this land to developers, and it’s up to Robert (William Baldwin) to evict the homeless through any means necessary. Robert hires a gang of thugs to disrupt the encampment late at night. But Robert has problems of his own. He is an alcoholic and compulsive gambler. He finds himself in debt and just lost all his money on horse racing. The very man who was sent to clear out the homeless is now about to become homeless himself, along with his wife, Kim (Kristanna Loken), and his son, Sam (Keenan Moran).
When watching the news, it’s easy to see the stories they tell about the homeless as a statistic or as one homogenized group. What No Address does so well is give a story to those who find themselves homeless. Each character represents one of the most common reasons people find themselves on the street. They are thrown away because of abuse at home or because they are no longer needed or valued at home. Some have lost their jobs and can’t pay their rent or mortgages. The most common are those dealing with either addiction or mental health problems.
“…Lauren is homeless and, after almost being assaulted, finds shelter at a local homeless encampment.”
On the flip side, No Address profiles the brave men and women who have dedicated their lives to helping the homeless. Patricia Velasquez plays Gabrielle, who works at the local mission, providing food and temporary shelter for those in need. Then there are the politicians who promise to “fix” the problem in exchange for votes and funding.
No Address is very much an issues-based drama. Its purpose is to provide a soul behind the statistics. Though this homeless community fits all the common profiles and checks all the boxes, it’s important to remember that they are still people worthy of our help and compassion. Having an all-star cast of actors helps and lends credibility to the story. With the likes of Xander Berkeley, Beverly D’Angelo, and William Baldwin, this rising tide of veteran actors lifts the performances of its newer talent, like leads Isabella Ferreira and Lucas Jade Zumann.
I’ll admit, often, issues-based films can feel too “on the nose” as it lays out the issues, and authenticity comes at a cost. Because I live in Southern California, homelessness is a massive problem, and films like No Address remind us that the homeless are people like you and me. I’d highly suggest that you watch the companion documentary, Americans With No Address, to get the bigger picture of why homelessness is so pervasive and that there are real solutions to the problem that can make a significant impact despite our local politicians’ best efforts.
"…give a story to those who find themselves homeless."
