Sunshine Hotel (2001) User Reviews

The other side of New York

[blumdeluxe · 8/10 · 28 January 2018]

"Sunshine Hotel" tells the story of an old hotel building in New York City, where tiny rooms are being rented to people with minimal income and how they interact in an environment full of addiction, violence and broken dreams.

This film is another great example how different circumstances can lead into a downwards spirale that is ultimately hard to escape. It shows that poverty has in some cases nothing to do with the abilities or the personality of a person and invites the viewers to be more open-minded and tolerant towards people left behind by the society. At the same time it adds to the picture of the city and lifts the curtain to a world that most likely will be new to most viewers. At some points it can be hard for someone who isn't a native english speaker to understand everything, but apart from that there is much to explore.

All in all this is a well-made documentary with a very interesting topic that tells some of the stories of the city that we tend to forget about most of the time.

Eerily fascinating

[gsjjones · 7/10 · 28 October 2020]

Interesting, disturbing, and tragic; the colorful centuries long stories of NYC's Bowery culminate (sort of) with the follow-them-around documentary of the residents of Sunshine Hotel. The "hotel" is a turn of the century former factory that has been broken off into rooms about the size of a broom closet; typically referred to as a "flop house". The men (and one trans female); are as different as night and day, but share a common bond; life has failed them in some way. Their day to day life is surrounded by substance abuse, mental health issues, trash, bugs, rodents,disappointment, loneliness, and shattered dreams. These guys make the best of their situation with sad, haunting matter-of-fact acceptance. Released just before 9/11/01, the irony of the transformation of NYC isn't lost on the viewer as we see the Twin Towers in the background.

Harrowing intimate portrait of lost souls

[emmamac-89229 · 7/10 · 15 March 2021]

First watched this film many years ago but recently rediscovered it on Amazon Prime. It is a truly harrowing portrait of people that have fallen through the cracks of society and landed on skid row. The filmmaker shows great skill in his ability to treat these lost souls with sympathy whilst portraying the unfiltered reality of their dire existence. You can sense the time and care he has put into getting to know these unfortuante individuals, resulting in an incredibly intimate portrayal. A difficult watch at times, but a fascinating insight into the lives of those less fortunate.

Powerful, evocative

[Leofish · 13 November 2002]

What an incredible film, especially for a documentary. This reflection on a seemingly hopeless flophouse and the worn-out, tired men who live in it is stunning in the stark reality it gives the viewer, and the poor residents it reveals are truly fascinating people. They are people who anyone can relate to, who had a dream that didn't quite come to fruition, who had a terrible experience with prejudice or lost love, people who seem like they've had the deck stacked against them from the start. This movie is essential for a viewer who wants to see a movie about the lost dreams of an American city and American lives. It's tracing of the infamous Bowery neighborhood from it's glory days to it's present depressed melancholy environment show a changing America, but an America that has always had nothing but contempt for the losers in life. This film shows how those "losers" deserve sympathy from those less blessed in life--everyone knows someone like them, someone who just didn't get any breaks. There are some truly haunting shots, from a post-September 11th perspective, that show the World Trade Center buildings towering over the bleak city street on which the flophouse resides, but the real lesson in this movie is how our system ruins the lives of good people, like the elderly black Army veteran recounting his terrifying experience in the Jim Crow South during the 1950s, or the charming man who recounts his hopelessness and lack of confidence with women in a frank, honest manner that would have brought a less hardened man to tears. This film is sad and beautiful and unsparing in its truth, and it is an extraordinary movie.

Whatever happened to all those letters?

[brian-88676 · 9/10 · 29 November 2020]

Such a well made film. Nate is a tremendous human being, he seems really enlightend. Not just that but a fantastic wordsmith. I wish we could get hold of his letters, he has such a mastery of language.

Portrait of a Flophouse and its manager

[recluse2 · 9/10 · 10 August 2018]

Nathan Smith makes this movie. I love his vocabulary and the way he talks.

There but for the grace...go I

[pinkzmusic · 6/10 · 26 March 2021]

At first the depiction saddened me, but then I was intrigued and awed by the level of endurance and perseverance on the part of the inhabitants ,which left me mesmirized. Truly...the brain/ mind is complex yet fragile . Also, it seems a broken heart can manifest it self physically/ neurologically and psychologically.

A fascinating look at a piece of NYC

[acstrasser · 10/10 · 10 July 2019]

Beautifully filmed. Fascinating people. How did so many articulate, interesting people end up in a flop house? Watch and find out. Oddly, it's an uplifting experience.

That was amazing.

[wwf_owner_86_2000 · 10/10 · 14 December 2001]

I just saw this very interesting documentary and it kicked butt! It's full of amazing tidbits and elaborate scenery. What I enjoyed most is how they REALLY REALLY REALLY did an in-depth look at the Sunshine Hotel and it's many aspects. Thumbs Way Up and I gave this a perfect 10.

MOVINGLY HUMAN

[rubychilton · 10/10 · 11 July 2021]

I'm twenty years late to the game I guess. I just watched this eloquent documentary tonight and I felt extremely touched, enough to urge people to watch this. I feel more alive after viewing, it made me ask my myself some big questions and philosophize on the intricacies of life, the mind, relationships, chance, luck, will... so well pieced together and a great honest light point on some under represented human beings. Thank you for an inspirational film.

Absolutely Incredible

[Gswillis · 10/10 · 5 September 2021]

Such a weird dichotomy of sadness & joy in this film. As someone who has never had an interest in any way of NYC, this film really inspired me to seek out some books on the untold stories of the city. You can really see how the weight of this massive city weighs on these people just driving the spirit out of them. Very well done piece, they should do an anniversary follow up.

Question about the garden & it's Interesting...never saw another doc on this subject

[BabyIDontCareMitchum · 8/10 · 20 July 2018]

I'm in the middle of watching it now.I have a Question about the garden but when I tried to ask this as a FAQ it did not have any option there to post a question. I'm trying to find out what was going on it the section when the errand runner man stops at the nice public garden where he stops at every day for years and some nasty woman in a big hat chases him out literally and very rudely. What is this garden and why would someone who is a docent there act that way to someone? It is very puzzling to us and is not explained at all in the film (as they just have the men speak for themselves with no narration).

As for the film as a whole... it's Interesting...never saw another doc on this subject and have read little on it. The men have many similarities to the street people homeless we see today in the big cities but these guys pay for a very basic roof over their head where they can drink or take drugs or deal with whatever mental issues they have. In homeless shelters you can't drink or take drugs and be right there doing so like you can at a flop like this. It's interesting to see the differences between living like this and being a street person (homeless) or being say in prison... as I've seen many documentaries on men in both of those situations. And seeing this makes one appreciate your own life more and your own living situation and life style.

A lucky find imo.

[jimwee · 8/10 · 14 October 2021]

I just stumbled on this, and found it quite interesting. Some of the featured players really impressed me. I would say that several of them appear smarter, more analytical and actually much more decent than the politicians we pay so well in DC. This was a bit eye-opening, sad and yet hopeful and all blended well together. Pray for them.