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73% Critic Match
Flophouse America
“What does it truly take for someone to change?”
7.3 / 10• 2025• 1h 18m•NR• English
Documentary
Storyline
Because of the big housing problem in the US many people move into cheap, run down hotels, the so-called Flophouse hotels. Twelve-year-old Mikal was born and raised in a hotel room he shares with his parents, who struggle with substance abuse. Driven by love and a desire for a better life, his greatest wish is for his mother to stop drinking. Mikal is bright and articulate, but his parents’ struggles prevent them from giving him the stability he needs. Through Mikal’s perspective, the film paints an intimate portrait of resilience, hope, and the harsh realities of life on society’s margins.
What People Are Saying
4.0
“A staggering achievement of craft and ambition. Monica Strømdahl's vision lands with breathtaking precision.”
4.0
“Every frame feels alive. Flophouse America is the rare release that takes its audience seriously.”
