I had to express my awe at such a beautiful, yet painful documentary. I laughed, smiled and ultimately cried seeing the joy and pain of of individuals and families in one single street in our country. Yet I saw inspiration in it's story and then sorrow. It was such a mix and mass of feeling I felt I had no choice but to cry. It was, is, an absolutely brilliant piece of unadulterated factual story telling. A beautiful yet painful expression of the lives we and those who are hidden around us, lead.
I agree. I also liked the anonymity of the street, it made me think about the people who live either side of me.
I also thought some of the characters reminded me of characters from the Zadie Smith novel - White Teeth, in particular the jewish family. Anyone else see that?
More drastically in Zincs comments were the shots of Paul Gascoigne in the News immediately afterwards being taken into care as his tourettes was visible.
On another issue why the secrecy surrounding which street it is?
I thought it was very disturbing that the film maker who had seen the Tourette sufferer's need for care, and was aware he had been in hospital, did not visit him for 6 weeks. Surely as a neighbour or human being, she should have started visiting him at least once a week to check if he was ok. I was just astonished at her actions. She was making a film about how we have lost neighbourlyness - and yet failed drastically at being a good neighbour to one of the people who had contributed greatly to her film. I also couldn't understand why if the other neighbours had rallied round the chap with cancer and helped him out daily for 7 weeks, why no-one had helped out the other chap...or was this just not shown correctly in the film. It gives me the creeps to think this filmmaker used the man for her own benefit and then used his death as a suitable conclusion to her work without offering what to me would have me normal human care. I thought there would have been lots of comments to this effect...
Hi there I agree with you, but I think you may have a point re. the editing of the final programme. I too couldn't believe that the film maker Sue hadn't visited Adam more frequently, and what about his parents ? The programme showed an unpleasant side of life in England today ~ where people are afraid to "get involved"
This was a hard programme to watch at times, especially as I knew Adam for some years. I admire all those who took part - lets hope it gets some of us to look around at our neighbours alot more and take time to create a community which is social and safe. RIP Adam - we miss you x
I agree with the comments about Adam on the film my street. My son has complex special needs and although i dont know all the details of what happened, i was very shocked by the final outcome. As i say i dont know all the details but why the hell was this chap not given any help by anyone to stop this happening, such as social services etc. It would be a good idea if the film maker or channel 4 could give us more information on this matter, to stop us all thinking the worst about the state of our services in this country.
Originally posted by anona: I thought it was very disturbing that the film maker who had seen the Tourette sufferer's need for care, and was aware he had been in hospital, did not visit him for 6 weeks. Surely as a neighbour or human being, she should have started visiting him at least once a week to check if he was ok. I was just astonished at her actions. She was making a film about how we have lost neighbourlyness - and yet failed drastically at being a good neighbour to one of the people who had contributed greatly to her film. I also couldn't understand why if the other neighbours had rallied round the chap with cancer and helped him out daily for 7 weeks, why no-one had helped out the other chap...or was this just not shown correctly in the film. It gives me the creeps to think this filmmaker used the man for her own benefit and then used his death as a suitable conclusion to her work without offering what to me would have me normal human care. I thought there would have been lots of comments to this effect...
I totally agree with you! I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought this.
I thought it was rather tragic how a whole community rallied behind and supported the 'well-off' gentleman with cancer, even though he already had so much additional support around him as it is. Yet noone really seemed to care about the young guy with Tourettes even though it was clear he was suffering from severe mental illness and depression! He even stated numerous times he was suicidal! My goodness...
It's just so tragic that this young man died the way he did. I can't help but think he was just 'used' to make this documentary and his death nothing more than a selling-point for the filmmaker. This documentary has only served to highlight how people who need help the most are often overlooked and neglected.
How could Adam 'fall through the net' in 2008, when we are shown how delicate probes can be carefully guided into areas of the brain to control this and other terrible afflictions? I certainly agree with the comments made by Anona and felt sad that more wasn't done for this poor suffering chap.
[QUOTE]Originally posted by andrlldn my street. It would be a good idea if the film maker or channel 4 could give us more information on this matter, to stop us all thinking the worst about the state of our services in this country.[/QUOTE
I thought it was rather tragic how a whole community rallied behind and supported the 'well-off' gentleman with cancer, even though he already had so much additional support around him as it is. Yet noone really seemed to care about the young guy with Tourettes even though it was clear he was suffering from severe mental illness and depression! He even stated numerous times he was suicidal! My goodness...
Apologies, I was trying to respond to Umgee about his/her comment on the 'well off' gent. Perhaps it was more to do with the gent having an illness which is easier to deal with socially and may affect everyone, whilst Adam had an illness which many of us will never be affected by - we therefore don't have to worry if others will help if it happens to our families.
Adam was very brave, but knowing the outcome, probably desperate in allowing himself to be filmed when he was at his worst. It's a shame it fell on deaf ears...or so it seems. Some clarity on this from C4 would be welcome.
My street was so very different, I found this rather refreshing. As a mother to a son who suffers from Schizophrenia I felt so very saddened, especially about Gary and the fact that the nieghbours all rallied round to help the man who was suffering from Cancer [not that I begrudge him that support]but because Gary was totally alone and no one was offering to help him. My son spent 5 years in care and we [his parents] are all too aware that people shy right away from any mental illness even though the suffering is immense. How tragic and how shamed we should feel knowing that the same respect is not given for those who happen to fall victim to a tragic life event [MENTAL ILLNESS] Georgina Wakefield Carer
Originally posted by abey_wisehead: why the secrecy surrounding which street it is?
Think about it!
I thought about it at the time and the answer is privacy or what? I do not condone hypocrisy and those who indulge us with such a portmanteau of their private lives in terms of it being a street should either put up or shut up to put it bluntly.
As it happens a simple single google afterwards relating to one of the characters in the programme followed by a look in an old telephone directory instantly brought up the answer:-
I seem to have made a mistake the young man I was reffering to was Adam not Gary. My family took part in a BBC2 DOcumentary 4 years ago "My Family Loving Christian" why? because when my son moved into his flat after 5 years in care 100 residents staged a protest at a School over the road "we don't want the mentally afflicted living near us because of the danger to our everyday lives".Many letters appeared in the local paper protesting, a young man stabbed his Father to death not long after this but no letters appeared this time because he wasn't suffering from a mental illness SO THAT'S OK!!!! We need to do far more about educating the public. As for poor Adam where was CARE IN THE COMMUNITY? Georgina Wakefield
I seem to have made a mistake the young man I was reffering to was Adam not Gary. My family took part in a BBC2 DOcumentary 4 years ago "My Family Loving Christian" why? because when my son moved into his flat after 5 years in care 100 residents staged a protest at a School over the road "we don't want the mentall
The more I think about My Street the more I'm thinking the one thing that this film did for me was highlight the fact that those who suffer from a mental illness are never given the same RESPECT for thier suffering as those who suffer from physical conditions. Why? because it's far more difficult to deal with so lets turn a blind eye.The film also highlighted life in the year 2008 stuff you Jack I'm alright may Adam forgive them for they know not what they do!!!!! Georgina Wakefield
I cried alot when i found out that poor adam died.. im a 22 year old guy myself and it takes alot to make me cry..but poor adam had a ver heart breaking story.. he was very intelligent,, he was trapped in an evil world.. he was scared of being notice.. i wish i knew him.. i would have given him all the help and support,, if anyone knows where i could visit his grave... i would be grateful.. LOU489 can u help me find out?
I was very upset - and am upset still, by the story of Adam. As a mother of two grown-up daughters I am at a loss to understand how his parents could have abandoned him to such a lonely uncared for life - it broke my heart when he mentioned that he really missed them. I am not normally the sort of person who rushes to the computer to post my thoughts, but on this occasion I felt compelled to do so. I have seen other documentaries about tourettes sufferers, and thankfully their parents were a support, even thought at times this proved very difficult.
Im with Rotty.. im not exaggerating when i say that ive been in a reall miserable mood since the programme.. i keep thinking about the night that this poor kid went through.. he looked really tired.. he was depressed.. tourettes didnt kill him,,, it was the depression and lonelyness he was going thro.. he even mentions that.. PLZ PLZ.. IF ANYONE KNOWS WHERE I CAN GET TO HIS GRAVE.. He needs our prayers at least,, no one was there when he was alive.. I want to be there for him now at least.. LOU489 plz.. u said u knew him... u must know how i can visit him,, he deserves it :,-(
I think some of you are losing site of what a truly exceptional and moving piece of work this film is. While I agree that Adam's story is incredibly sad and tragic, I think you judge the film-maker too a little too harshly. This woman set out to make a film about life behind closed doors and the apparent decline of the friendly British neighbour. This is what she did and she did it exceedingly well. Her aim was to document lives, not save them. Besides, while I'm not remotely religious, the words 'let he who is without sin cast the first stone' spring to mind here. This is one of the best 'domestic' documentaries I have seen in a long while; it made me laugh, it made me cry and, most of all, it moved me enough to want to register with this site and leave a comment. Thank you for making such a gem.
I too was extremely shocked when I watched 'My Street'. Shocked because I realised I knew Adam. I met him a few years ago whilst in hopsital with him. Not a great place to meet someone but we spent a lot of time together. From the first day he arrived. I'm not sure what was worse, finding out he had died or viewing how dramtically his life had changed since I knew him. I couldn't believe how he had ended up living. Though I too ended up in a similar circumstances as he had. I ended up digging out some old letters he'd written to me and am so sorry that we lost contact, and sorry that a TV programme showed me the real pain that he was in.
