Hobo

March. 28,1992

Rating：

7.6

Genre：

Documentary

Keywords：

Riding The Rail Hobo

Trailer Synopsis Cast

Irish director John T Davis stashes a camera in his bedroll, catches out, and rides the rails from Minneapolis to Seattle with Beargrease, a part-time hobo and full time philosopher, who narrates their way through the incredible scenery of the Northwest and gives us his views on life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The pair meet up several other men living life on the margins: in particular a scene in which Duffy - an ex-corporate executive now living under a bridge in Spokane & collecting cans - describes how he got there is riveting.

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Reviews

Diagonaldi

1992/03/28

Very well executed

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NekoHomey

1992/03/29

Purely Joyful Movie!

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Robert Joyner

1992/03/30

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

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Bob

1992/03/31

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

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Dr Debaser

1992/04/01

Very sad that there's no other reviews / board action on this film as I suspect it means this excellent film just never gets seen. John T Davis travels with modern day hobo trainrider Beargrease as he hops highlines to the Rockies and back home. The camera work is amazing as we see the American countryside dusk to dawn from the trains Beargrease rides. The man is a Vietnam vet who,although having a pig farm cannot feel comfortable unless he heads off riding trains.Travelling with Beargrease we meet his friends and hear bits of his philosophy. There's a hobo code - you don't ask a man about his background, you don't ask if he's on the run but you do watch each others backs.As the film unfolds I was struck by two things. Firstly John T Davis is illuminating a subculture that really is out of the mainstream. Did you know that Hobo trainriders still existed, helped each other, left cryptic signs, had an unwritten code? Nope me neither. Secondly the film has a grinding authenticity- riding the rockies at dawn you can feel the cold. Talking around the evening fireside sorrow and desperation compete with fierce independence. See it if you can but with no DVD or general release thats very difficult.

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