Tenderloin: Gritty Film Shows You Can Create a Family Anywhere

When you forget you're watching a film because you're so caught up in the characters, you gain a sense of being a part of the neighborhood. In all of the dysfunction as shown in the film "Tenderloin" director Michael Anderson has welcomed us into the world of the Boyd Hotel in San Francisco. Life is not easy and it doesn't always have a Hollywood ending, but life is still worth living when you have a family, biological or not. Anderson and writer Ned Miller show the viewer that a family can be created absolutely anywhere in America through this slice of life film.

Actor Kurt Yaeger is a standout in the film. As a lead, Yaeger has handsome similarities to actor Ryan Reynolds. Yaeger's character, Ben, is thinking all the time and we never really know what's happening behind those eyes.

With a raw, gritty sense of street adventure, Yaeger portrays an Iraq war veteran who has lost his leg and more importantly, lost his sense of humor and enjoyment in life. He's angry about a lot of things, but the absence of his leg is not at the top of his list. He gains work as a manager of a seedy hotel that happens to be filled with dramatic life stories in every corner. The characters may be based on real people because the look and feel of the film has an authentic blend of the streets and those who are fortunate enough to survive the struggle and live indoors.

The setting from the beginning of the film shows the homeless living on the street below Ben's apartment. With a single glance at a homeless man, Ben realizes he's one step away from joining the homeless on the streets of San Francisco. He'd better find success this time for himself, his son and his future.

An independent film shot in San Francisco, "Tenderloin" explores Ben's relationships with his family, the residents of the hotel, and even a little mouse who seems to be his only friend. With Yaeger's touch, Ben evolves as a person by listening to the people in his life and he doesn't seem so angry after all. Truth be told, he has a lot to be angry about, but he finds a way to reach a new level of acceptance in his world.

Character actors abound throughout this film. Actress Tina Huang as Ben's girlfriend captures attention on the screen. She's not only stunning to watch, but there's something intriguing about her that goes far beyond looks. Actress Liz Frances Rolfe, who portrays Ben's neighbor Myrna, creates a character of "everyone's grandma." She's someone you would love to have as a neighbor and entrust as your confidante.

Actors Glen Caspillo and Charles Branklyn play off of each other so easily that it's possible they're friends in real life and from the actual Tenderloin. Ben's son, as portrayed by young actor Jack Indiana, has such a sweet, real face, it makes you realize that a child's wishes are simple and uncomplicated. It's the adults who complicate access to a child in custody issues.

If you have the opportunity to see this film, it's an experience you won't want to miss. With a documentary look and real faces from the street, it is clear that we are all struggling in our own way. "Tenderloin" helps us to realize that as humans we still have each other, faults and all. Most importantly, a family can be created absolutely anywhere, even in the streets of the Tenderloin.

For more information on the film visit www.tenderloinmovie.com.

Pictured: Actor Kurt Yaeger, lead in the film "Tenderloin"