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.
