Movies about REAL life in America... poverty?

Question

Hi there,

I wanted to find some movies (not R rated, if possible) that show life as it REALLY is in the United States, and not just how Hollywood portrays it. I have friends in foreign countries with a very unreal perception about America because of what they see in movies, and I want to show them that money does not grow on trees and that there IS poverty here, and that there are people who have to work hard to have what they have.

I've done web searches, but it doesn't bring too many results.

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks!

I want movies that are drama style, but show people actually having to THINK about finances or cost of living... everyone isn't living a 'cheaper by the dozen' type life in a nice house with nice things!

Answer 1

There were several movies made in the 80s about farmers losing everything such as The River with Sissey Spacek and Country with Jessica Lange
In America...a fairly recent movie
A Home of Our Own...from the 90s
Men Don't Leave...with Jessica Lange
Real Women Have Curves...another recent movie
North Country...with Charlize Theron
Norma Rae...Sally Field
The Women of Brewster Place...Oprah Winfrey
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn...a real oldie
Sorry,I just noticed that most of these are about women dealing with poverty but there must be some out there about men dealing with it. Just can't think of any off-hand.

Answer 2

You are probably not going to find a movie about REAL life in America because there is no average real life in america. America has a large land area and the people are spread out. Every different area people live differently. Do people in Scotland live the same way as people in Italy? Any Hollywood movie you watch about life in America is going to be true life in america for a percentage, even though it may be glamorous. But then if you watch some Michael Moore documentary about how everyone lives in poverty, you're just watching propaganda. Despite what so many liberals proclaim about how America is full of povery, these poverty stricken people still somehow come up with the money to go out and buy $300 ipods. Most people are just your average 50,000 to 100,000 dollars a year middle-class.

Answer 3

In America: starring Samantha Morton is a good one.
Erin Brockovich:
The Rainmaker: Matt Damon
The Color Purple
Men of Honor
Places in the Heart
Snow falling on Cedars
Rosewood
Something the Lord Made

Answer 4

Amos Kollek's Sue, one of the best films I ever watched!
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0125522/
Silkwood
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086312/
Most of the films that show the U.S. as a place where people have to work will be rated R because most of them are produced by Indie producers who don't care as much about the rating system as Hollywood mainstream producers do (although many major studios meanwhile own Indie corporations) - Accordingly you should browse some Indie producers' home pages like Killer Films, Antidote Films, HeadQuarters, Independent Entertainment, Paradigm Consulting, Salty Features, Talking Wall, Pictures, Elemental Films, Open City Films, HBO, Fox Searchlight, Sony Pictures Classics, etc., etc. :
Rated R:
Boys Don't Cry
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0171804/
Set It Off
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117603/

Answer 5

Home Alone 1 or Boyz in da hood

Answer 6

Grapes of Wrath with Henry Fonda is a great version of the book. That's dated somewhat obviously.

Answer 7

When the Levees break by Spike Lee

Answer 8

get a video camera and go to the ghetto

Answer 9

http://imdb.com/title/tt0132477/