Watch Street Poet

Street Poet is a thought-provoking, dramatic movie released in 2007, directed by E. Paul Edward and starring C. Thomas Howell as the lead actor. Along with Cristina Maxwell and Fred Williamson, the rest of the cast in the film is a group of talented actors. The movie follows the journey of the main character, Roy, who is a poet and a drug addict. Roy, a former college poetry professor who failed to finish his second book, spends his days homeless, wandering around the streets and alleys of Los Angeles, scribbling his poems on scraps of cardboard.

The story takes a turn when Roy saves a young drug-addicted prostitute named Rochelle (Cristina Maxwell) from one of her clients. Taking her under his wing, Roy takes Rochelle to a safe place where she gets treated for her addiction. In return, Rochelle helps Roy with his poetry, nurturing his talent and encouraging him to take it to the next level.

As Roy's poetic gift returns, he rekindles his passion for poetry, pouring his soul into the art he loves. He begins performing his works on the streets for anyone who will listen. People who once dismissed him now start to see him in a new light.

However, his new popularity brings unwanted attention from his old colleagues, who dismiss him as a mere street poet. He also gets caught up in the shadows of street life, forcing him to reexamine the choices he has made, and those that he has to make in the future.

Throughout the movie, the director highlights the themes of identity, addiction, and redemption. Roy's struggles highlight the idea of how addiction can cripple someone's potential while also showing how an individual can be inspired and lifted up by unlikely human connections.

The movie is shot beautifully, with the camera often showing the gleaming lights of the city at night as well as the dirty streets and grotty alleyways present in the movie. The soundtrack is another great feature of the movie, with an eclectic mix of a cappella, hip-hop, R&B, and blues that effectively adds to the movie's themes and atmosphere.

C. Thomas Howell is brilliant in his role as Roy, giving an authentic performance that showcases the character's brokenness and the poetic genius that lies beneath. Cristina Maxwell also delivers a powerful performance in the movie as Rochelle. Her portrayal of a woman caught up in the underbelly of addiction shows a depth of emotional acting that really drives the movie's themes home.

Overall, Street Poet is a poignant, inspiring drama that forces its audience to ponder life's joys and struggles. It is a reminder that among the chaos of life, there is still hope to be found and that there is a constant need to look beneath the surface and see the humanity in everyone.

Street Poet is a 2010 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 27 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 4.5.