Life of Crime 1984-2020

This must watch documentary depicts the life of these people in such a raw and real way.

It really helps viewers understand and empathize with the heartbreaking reality of drug addicts.

I highly recommend this film.

This documentary really hit home and showed the beginning to end struggles of drug addiction. Should be shown to kids in school in order to truly scare them straight away from drugs.

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.

I've been an IMDB member for several years, seen and rated countless films and never been moved to write a review until now. My heart is simply broken after watching the ups and downs of the people we get to know in this documentary and bearing witness to the literal highs and lows that decide their fate. Early on I became somewhat irritated by the film-maker as he seemed to condone and almost egg on the subjects actions but I think as he matured (or perhaps his filmmaking did) he simply let their stories tell themselves, and that's when I found myself wholly invested and wishing to see a happy ending for these people. We got a painfully honest ending instead.

Paying special attention to the children involved and seeing their lives ripped apart by their parent's addiction is one of the toughest parts to witness. They deserved to grow up without recognizing track marks or staying up late every night wondering if their loved one will return. This film will stick with me for days and is highly recommended even though it becomes very tough to watch.

*Note: as another reviewer pointed out there are some extremely graphic scenes involving one of the film's subjects, so be warned to turn away and perhaps just listen during that portion.

Very powerful, gritty documentary. God bless all the people involved and their families for allowing their lives to be so graphically captured. This is a human story, a lot more common than we think. Just tragic and incredibly moving. A must see for any empathetic and compassionate human being.