Review of “Where God Left His Shoes,” Film, 2007. Directed by Salvatore Stabile. Stars John Leguizamo. Vulcan Productions.

There are many films about the homeless condition, and many of them are not very good or very real.  However, this one is different—and a pleasant surprise at that (Where God Left His Shoes (2007) - IMDb).

I am not a huge fan of John Leguizamo, but he stars here in a realistic take on what happens when life starts to unravel and there is no place left to live.  Leguizamo is the perfect measure of cocky and desperate and at the same time exhausted but hopeful as a father who wants so much to keep his family together.  In this film he pours his heart out as a down-on-his-luck fighter (Frank Diaz) who has to find an apartment for his family on Christmas Eve.  Homeless, the family winds up in a shelter (Where God Left His Shoes - Where God Left His Shoes: Trailer | IMDb).

Frank tries so hard to fit in here, fit in there, do what is right, and overcome his challenges.  But he has his terrible demons to fight, including his anger issues.  The family functions as well as it cans, but Frank falters.  He gets in a fight in the shelter and the family of course gets thrown out onto the street.  This accelerates the need to find a place to live when the family is outdoors in December.  

Leonor Varela plays his wife (Angela) and mother to his two children, a girl and a boy (Christina and Justin).  She does an incredible job of showing how hard it is to be supportive of a father who needs confidence and a chance.  She is faced with the challenge of protecting and raising her children.  She now must try to figure out the very difficult challenge of deciding between two men—one the father of her children with whom she has a past—and the other a wealthy established man who can provide all those things families need, supposedly, including a place to live.

David Castro shines as the young son Justin who wants to believe in his father so much but also is tired of the hunger. He is also worn down by the disappointment that comes from taking his father’s side in arguments.  He is also aware of all the benefits and security offered by “a new father” who although not perfect will be a better deal for him, his sister, and his mother.  

Justin’s decision toward the end of the movie will give you great hope.  If you are not crying at that point in the movie, you have not been paying attention.    

A big city story, this one could have just as easily have taken place in Chicago or L.A. or Moscow or London.  Dipping into the borders of the dirtier side of a big city, the family is nonetheless able to stay above ground, and there is a happy ending.

Realistic not only because it shows how desperate people become when they no longer have a place to live, the film also shows how much family members can begin to disagree, blame each other, and start to lose trust in each other as the strange condition of homelessness begins to change them more and more.  Struggling to keep their faith becomes one of the biggest themes of the film.

Other themes related to poverty, the American obsession with work, issues between Italian-Americans and Latinos, and other differences and sentiments emerge as Frank and his family keep facing that terrible dark night out there. 

That terrible dark night—a universal demon in the homeless condition.

“Where are we gonna go tonight?!” asks Angela.

“I’ll figure something out,” answers Frank.