Roam Sweet Home (1996)

• 68%
• 1996
• Documentary
• Ellen Spiro

This documentary is a journey into the lives of aging roamers and loners-on-wheels who live on the road full-time in trailers, due to economic necessity, pleasure, or both. Filmmaker Ellen Spiro and her dog Sam, join a spirited community of nomads and their pets in order to encounter their unconventional lifestyle first hand. Through interviews, Ellen captures the spirit of the roamers and the wide spectrum of reasons these people chose to forego a more traditional means of retirement. A group of women talk about the sheer freedom and the thrill of independence they discovered, after they escaped repressive marriages and relationships. Another person expounds upon the enjoyment of traveling throughout the country in an unencumbered fashion. Sam, Ellen's dog, also participates in the narration of this tale, sharing his interpretation of the follies and whims of human nature. He adds an emotional perspective through his ruminations that death is simply another stop on the journey through life.