My Father's Son

This film presents the life of a homeless man, John Blalock, who is living in the woods on the outskirts of Orlando, Florida. The striking thing about him is that he has the mental ability to be successful in virtually any profession he should choose. He can comment intelligently on information sources pertaining to the recycling and metals industry. He theorizes about the true value of the work ethic in the context of modern society. And he questions role of fate and the possibility of conscious change in the lives of individuals.

It is also clear that he takes pride in himself and some of the things he does. In the shelter he constructs, in his methods of procuring water, in cutting the grass where he lives, and in having a small measure of financial resources(including a banking account) as a result of his scavenging activities. He has a certain work ethic of his own.

These traits are in contrast to most of the other homeless men who live in the woods near John. The other homeless individuals appear to have either personalities and/or a lack of ability that would not allow them to be successful in conventional society.

It becomes quickly apparent that John has *chosen* this life. At one point in the film, following the reunion between John, his sister, and his niece, the niece makes the comment that John is happy the way he lives. And that the fact "just amazes" her. I think most people would see John's choice as amazing.

But is it really? He has a kind of freedom that few adults ever experience, an almost Thoreau-like style of 'deliberate living'. John himself says that he doesn't think he'd be happier in the conventional world. And who is to fault him? He provides a life for himself outside of the established structures and ways of modern society. As a visiting physician notes at one point in the film, he(Blalock) chooses reality over facade. For some reason, such decisions are generally deemed illegitimate. Somehow they are the products of a mind that cannot be fully endowed. Yet it is obvious that in John's case, that is simply not true.

It is also obvious that John is not completely comfortable with his decision. He appears partially motivated by a fear of the stresses and difficulties of living a standard working lifestyle in today's world.

How can a film about a homeless man be inspirational? Because he has the courage to choose a life that suits him best regardless as to what society thinks, and to live as artfully as he can within that decision. Not many could do that, even if they wanted to. Whether they would want to, and whether John's approach is best is beside the point.

Many people disregard 'homeless people' as either being lazy, 'mental cases' whom have slipped through the cracks of the system, or drunks and/or junkies, lost without a cause. That is not my personal opinion, although widely assumed by society in general, this is the actual opinion of a homeless man himself, the central figure of this sad yet insightful documentary.

John Blalock is the main subject of this documentary set in Florida that looks into the lives of homeless men who have found shelter in the woods on vacant land.

The world of a homeless man is a very lonely one, and in John's case, he keeps the company of a few men who all seem to be homeless for different reasons. John, a college graduate, once married, a proud homeowner and carpenter, found himself tied up with drug and drinking problems which sent him spiraling into a world of which he lost control. He lost his house and family and chose to clean up his act by living homeless in the woods.

General society sees most homeless people as those dirty, gin-soaked vagrants who sit on the street corner downtown begging for money, usually accompanied with a filthy blanket and makeshift cardboard sign explaining their vagrancy.

Putting stereotypes aside, John, with the knowledge of the carpentry profession, uses that to his advantage and builds a makeshift shelter out of building scraps and construction site refuse. He also has the ability to strip metals and trade them in at aluminum and copper factories for cash. With that cash, he buys his minimal needs like food and household products to keep his living conditions habitable.

John is a very intelligent person. He isn't lazy, he reads the paper, second-hand books, knows right from wrong and does not spend his waking hours drunk or looking for a fix. He simply wants to live alone in a society that isn't run by the rules of a Government.

Unfortunately, most of the homeless people in his company are mental cases or drunks. John disapproves of their actions and reasons for being homeless, yet feels that he is hardly in a position to criticize their lifestyle choices.

He's been homeless for nearly 11 years and has not spoken to his sister and niece in that time. The creators of this documentary focus on their reunion and why he can't bring himself to make contact with them.

The homeless men receive frequent visits from an outreach group who provide medical assistance to the needy, and one woman in particular helps make the reunion between John and his sister possible. When they do meet, it is a very bittersweet moment for both of them.

Forget 'reality' shows like "SURVIVOR". If you ever want to know what it's like to survive on bare necessities and will power, then you should watch and learn some lessons from this man.

After watching this documentary, I never thought in my lifetime that I'd ever find inspiration in a homeless man! Who knew?