This movie allows us to view homelessness in America through the prism of the public library. Far from becoming obsolete, libraries have emerged in modern life as even more important public social spaces than ever before. The inherent equality of the public library inevitably means that it is one of the few places left where the homeless population is welcome. The homeless are not an invisible population in our libraries, and writer/director/star Emilio Estevez did his homework and got this dynamic right. His deep understanding of libraries and how they relate to the issue of the homeless allows him to tell this story with confidence. I recommend everyone go see this movie, not only is it charming and very often quite funny, but it could well serve as a much needed kick-starter for a national conversation that we should be having but aren't about homelessness and community. Excellent movie.
Review of The Public
