SKID ROW MARATHON: Positively Life-Affirming Documentary Gem

One day a criminal court judge Craig Mitchell was approached by a man who had just been released from prison. Judge Mitchell had sentenced this man to prison previously, and the man invited him to visit the Midnight Mission, a homeless shelter in Los Angeles where he was living. Seeing the lives of the people in the shelter and on the streets of Los Angeles, Judge Mitchell decided to use one of his own loves to help the lives of others: running.

He started a running club in order to inspire former criminals and addicts to stick to a program, and offered a chance at participating in an international marathon at the end of it. Having read about this incredible story in the LA Times, filmmaker David Hayes set out to document the journey.

Tragedy and Redemption

Skid Row Marathon follows Judge Mitchell and a number of the members of the running club. David Askew, one of the club’s first members, lived on the streets of LA for ten years before he moved into the Midnight Mission shelter. We see where he used to live, climbing in and out of a tiny hole in a wall for years on end. Ben Shirley was a professional musician before he was troubled by drug and alcohol addiction. He eventually found himself on Skid Row. Rafael Cabrera is on parole having spent most of his life behind bars, and Rebecca Hayes lived on the streets with her son before making a change.

Skid Row Marathon lets us hear their tragic stories, and then gives them a platform to showcase their change. We follow these people over many months, seeing how their stories unfold as they try to get their lives together and not fall back into old ways. They grow and develop thanks to the good influence of the running club and its members.

Some are trying to get into school, some are trying to find a job and an apartment, and others are just trying to get some stability back in their life for the good of their family. Spending so much of the film immersed in the lives of these people means that by the time the credits roll we feel a real connection with them, having seen them facing their troubles and problems and witnessing their internal struggles played out on screen.

Rewards, Relapses and Running

Even though it’s over in a flash with only an 85 minute runtime, the film is wonderfully uplifting and incredibly powerful, highlighting just how vital a network of belief and support can really be. As we watch the club jog along the Los Angeles streets in the early morning we see the camaraderie between the runners, and just how important it has become by keeping them not only regimented but happy.

It’s a film dripping with positivity and emotion. However, despite this, it isn’t afraid of documenting the harsh reality that not everyone has fairy-tale endings. Kicking habits is rarely a one-and-done deal and the film is brutally honest when it comes to these issues that are bigger than running. We see the setbacks and the relapses and the pitfalls.

The case of Mody Diop in the film is perhaps the saddest part. Mody was in college when his career was derailed by drugs and alcohol. The running club helped him and he opened a small luggage store. However, during the course of the film we see Mody struggle to fight his addiction despite the help of those around him.

The Man Behind It All

I would be remiss not to mention the fantastic work that Judge Mitchell has done in starting the club. He says a phrase during the film which perfectly encapsulates the importance of the club: “My involvement with the running club gives me the ability to impact lives in a way I cannot as a judge.” The documentary does a great job in delving more into the life of this man, as we hear his wife and son speak about Judge Mitchell and how vital the club is to him. We learn he has a spinal condition and has been told by doctors to stop running, but he cares so much for the running club that he ignores their advice. It just goes to reinforce the fact that the club has impacted all involved in an unbelievable way.

One of the film’s great strengths is in allowing the audience to witness first-hand the relationship of the Judge and the runners. This isn’t about a saviour character coming in and changing the lives of the downtrodden. This is about the compassion and respect between people and how they help each other grow and achieve new heights.

Conclusion: Skid Row Marathon

There are so many films and so many documentaries which highlight, and rightly so, the evils and injustices of the world around us. So it is always a breath of fresh air, therefore, when a documentary like Skid Row Marathon comes along, which is so heartwarming and heartfelt that you can’t help but be moved emotionally.

Have you seen Skid Row Marathon? Were you moved by the tales told? Let us know in the comments below.

Skid Row Marathon will be screened in Napa, California on May 4th 2018. You can find tickets here. The film will be available in cinemas in the UK for one night only on May 9th 2018.