Reversal of Fortune (2005 film)
| Reversal of Fortune | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Robert DeMaio |
| Directed by | Wayne Powers |
| Starring | Ted Rodrigue |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Patty Ivins Specht, Julie Pizzi, PB&J Television |
| Running time | 68 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original release |
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Reversal of Fortune is a 2005 Showtime documentary that asks the question "What would a homeless person do if they were given $100,000?"
The documentary has its roots in a question that co-director and co-executive producer Wayne Powers had while being asked for some money by a homeless person: What would happen if I gave him a million dollars (later dropped to 100,000) and the free will to do what he wanted with it? Would it turn his life around? With enough money to get a home, car, license, would he get a job? He took the idea to Showtime, where he had written-directed-executive produced the limited series Out of Order and they said yes immediately. The only limits would be that the person chosen would have to pass a psychiatric evaluation and have a clean drug test. The production company PB&J Television produced the documentary. On her show, Oprah Winfrey called it "a fascinating social experiment".
It begins with the introduction of Ted Rodrigue, a homeless man living under a bridge in California. He begins by describing an average day of "survival" for him, which consists of collecting cans and bottles for recycling in order to eat, buy cigarettes, and beer for the day. He informs the audience that an average day brings in about $25, while a good day might see as much as $35. Ted reflects on the better days of his life, when his mother (a former alcoholic) and sisters accepted him. He is shown placing a collect call to his mother, ultimately having the charges denied by his mother. Ted blames his homelessness and lack of family support on their prejudice against him for being homeless and an undesirable childhood. Ted describes his mother as a "bar whore" who often brought strange men home from the bar on the weekends and that at the age of 12, he was given his first beer by his mother at one of her many social gatherings.
His ability to "do as he pleases" by not having to answer to any authority figures, keeps him on the streets. Ted informs the filmmakers that he takes a lot of pride in his bicycle and is shown washing it at a car wash, although it has been over three months since he had a "real" shower. Through his recycling, Ted has befriended an 18-year-old Latino male named Michael (Mike), who works at the recycling plant.
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