Larry, Craig, Lance, and Ubaldo have been evicted from their apartment and are now forced to move from hotel to hotel, sharing one room between the four of them. This scenario is interesting enough, but to top it off, Craig, Lance, and Ubaldo have severe mental disorders and Larry is the alcoholic taking care of them. “Sons of a Gun” is the documentary that follows these four men through their ups and downs as they search for an apartment and develop as a family.
Larry may have a big heart and may care very much for his family, but his drinking problem starts to get in the way. Sometimes delving into physical and emotional abuse, Larry seems to need just as much care as the men he lives with. In other words, the dependency runs two ways. The camera of “Sons of a Gun” tries to remain fair and honest as it captures some of these unflattering behaviors.
Sometimes having a tiny budget is the perfect solution for a documentary. Directors Rivkah Beth Medow and Greg O’Toole were able to take their tiny crew into a hotel in Alemda and film this unorthodox family without making themselves too imposing. The men clearly grow to trust the filmmakers as they open up and reveal their stories. These stories continue to evolve, as we find out about the family’s inner-workings. The style of bare-boned and intimate, which is perfect for a story that needs no embellishments.
Entering a world so tight-knit as this must have been quite a feat for the filmmakers of “Sons of a Gun,” but the result seems to be well worth it.
