| Roam Sweet Home | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Ellen Spiro |
| Produced by | Ellen Spiro |
| Narrated by | Sam the Dog |
| Cinematography | Ellen Spiro |
| Release date(s) | 1996 |
| Running time | 57:00 |
Roam Sweet Home is a road-trip documentary about the lives of retirees 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 community of American nomads in order to explore their unconventional lifestyle first hand.
Through Spiro’s innovative and interpersonal style of filmmaking she captures the spirit of the roamers and the wide variety of reasons they abandoned the more traditional means of retirement. One group of women discusses the thrill of independence and sheer freedom they discovered after escaping repressive relationships. Another expounds upon the pleasures of traveling unencumbered throughout the country.
The film is narrated by Spiro’s dog, Sam, as he shares his perspective on the whims and follies of human nature. Aging himself, Sam adds an emotional perspective through his musings on death and the journey through life.