OlanActor
I had the privilege, no, the honor of seeing Homme Less a documentary by Thomas Wirthenson about the 6 years my friend Mark Reay, whom I met on a Survivor Reunion stand-in gig in Manhattan at the old Letterman stage. The irony of that introduction is not lost on me remembering us on a make-shift Survivor set, Meeting Mark there, a man I could only describe as classy and well spoken and now knowing he was actually living, no scratch that, SURVIVING on a roof top in the East village with no roof over his head while we rehearsed and stood in for the "real" Survivors is beyond the pale.A "standin" is usually a person similar to the actual star who will never be seen, in this case when the show was broadcast live. The public will never see them or even know they existed working in this case two days so at the finale.We actually sat with Jeff Probst, the host of Survivor, whom in a true gentlemanly fashion spoke with each stand-in asking our names and delving into minor details about us. Often it would be in realm of would you want to be on Survivor or do you think you could. So I met a new friend who was and did Survive the ultimate urban jungle for SIX YEARS standing-in for two days on Survivor with Jeff Probst actually asking us if we think we "got what it takes" to make it through a month on Survivor Island.Now if that doesn't beat all. You see Mark, like me, like many men over 50 and still holding on to their dreams would at best be one of the 'token' older tribe members on the show, possibly targeted and voted out early, who like in the last season of White Collar, Blue Collar, No Collar, the younger tribe members take it upon themselves to vote out usually stating how they are dragging the tribe down.Six years, although in the film he states he can't remember if it's been 5 or 6 as he breaks down thankful to have the company of Thomas on this journey.You can read all the reviews on this incredible film of Mark's journey as he navigates through droves and droves of the self-obsessed from photographing them and being background for them always working hard trying to follow his dream. We see his humility, his hopes and his fears. We see ourselves and we can relate.Something magical happens during the course of Homme Less. Mark strikes a common cord in all of us unrecognized never give up dream followers through financial instability just a pay check away from not having a roof over our heads. When the movie was finished, at the Q and A one man stood and said, "I don't have a question but I do have many observations. An onslaught of self professions began from the audience. A familiar cord of people understanding how easy it would be to in Mark's shoes with little to survive but a desire to accomplish and attain your hopes and dreams. The people couldn't stop injecting their own plights into what they had just watched processing it through commentary as Mark and Thomas looked on.I got the feeling this has become the norm for them after people see Homme Less which I must say was energizing and cathartic. I don't feel alone and invisible anymore. I hope Mark doesn't either.Thomas through Mark has brought to light one man's story of courage and pure will power to survive by any means possible, never seeing himself as a victim or someone to feel sorry for, protecting himself with his suits of armor hand washed and ironed at his local gym as he fights harder than most to achieve his dream.You will see him self-deprecate but you will never see him take from others as flagrantly as they take from him, his talents, his kindness, his encouragement. We see Mark delivering one of his photos of A top designer who does not merit his name being mentioned hand delivering it to his office without a thank you or a kiss my ass from an assistant too busy to even truly take the time to even ask Mark his name. Manners are dead in 2015 and a kindness has become obligatory tribute to false Gods.Mark is almost invisible to the masses of "Umi's" and other 20 something's who for some reason merit their existence while his efforts to find success go unrecognized almost invisible - but we see him as we watch this film loud and clear. Once a friend said to me, "I appreciate a kindness from someone who has very little or nothing so much more than I do from someone who has everything." As far as Mark is concerned, he truly is Santa because he just gave the world a hell of a lot of hope through his courage to share his story. If you have brains and you want to know what it's like to think and feel again get your ass over to see this film instead of wasting it on some blockbuster where you can continue to manufacture some false sense of being. My biggest fear is that because people are so used to seeing and judging they will forget that this is real life we are watching a man's life here. This is the must see documentary of our time 2015.
