Loading movie…

Down and Out in America · LeviOsa

Down and Out in America key art

Down and Out in America

The origins of homelessness.

DocumentaryHistory57m

🍅71%

🍅

71%

Tomatometer

🍿

71%

Popcornmeter

6.9

TMDB

Storyline

The recession of the 1980s split the country into the haves and have-nots, from family farmers to factory workers and homeless people forced to live in decrepit welfare hotels. On the verge of losing everything, courageous Americans discover the power of community organizing to fight injustice.

Trailers

Down and Out in America trailer thumbnail

Down and Out in America TRAILER

Details

DirectorLee Grant

ReleasedDec 1, 1986

StatusReleased

Original languageEnglish

Budget

Not disclosed

Revenue

Not disclosed

Parental guideNot rated

Studios

HBOJoseph Feury ProductionsKarmic Release ProductionsHope Runs High Films

Cast

Lee Grant

Lee Grant

Narrator (voice)

Where to watch(NG)

Rent / Buy

Amazon Video

Fandango At Home

Reviews

4 reviews · 3 critics

3 fresh · 0 rotten

C

Christopher Campbell

RTNonfics (Substack)Oct 31, 2025

Outside of its significance to documentary history, Down and Out in America is sadly still relevant today.

G

Glenn Dunks

RTThe Film ExperienceNov 2, 2020

A deeply empathetic feature that presents the socio-economic disparity of America in simple and unadorned fashion.

D

Dennis Harvey

RT48 HillsOct 12, 2020

Its prescience is particularly striking given that the issues it addresses were largely brand-new 35 years ago.

R

Reddit

Redditr/movies

Browse discussions about “Down and Out in America”

Jump to Reddit for live threads on this title.

You Might Also Like

Journal No. 1 - An Artist's Impression

Grab and Run

The Story of the Weeping Camel

"Some Kind of Funny Porto Rican?": A Cape Verdean American Story

Nickel Boys

Jesus Camp

Roger & Me

Love Hotel

Greater Freedom Lesser Freedom

Malcolm X

Marie Antoinette

Recommended for you

Crack: Cocaine, Corruption & Conspiracy

49 Up

The Decline of Western Civilization Part III

Beyond Utopia

BRATS

Voyeur

McQueen

To Kill a Tiger

Capitalism: A Love Story

The Mystery of D.B. Cooper

Audrey

More trailers on YouTube

Information

Title

Down and Out in America

Released

Dec 1, 1986

Rated

Not rated

Region of Origin

United States of America

Original Audio

English

Runtime

57m

Status

Released

Studios

HBO, Joseph Feury Productions

The House I Live In