Sunshine Hotel

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Sunshine Hotel

2001

1h 36m

Documentary

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3 Reviews

95%

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50+ Ratings

New York City's Bowery has a notorious history and is synonymous with hobos, drunks and the downtrodden. This documentary portrays one of the street's last remaining flophouses in a neighborhood transformed by gentrification. The Sunshine Hotel is a link to the Bowery's rapidly vanishing past and home to a fascinating array of characters who tell how they ended up there. Our guide and narrator is the hotel's manager, who introduces us to the residents.

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Josh Ralske

All Movie Guide

Dominic has made a film of heart and intelligence about those subsisting on the margins of society.

Rated: 6/10

Oct 26, 2007

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Andrea Chase

Killer Movie Reviews

Rated: 4/5

Apr 5, 2003

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Phil Hall

Film Threat

So-so documentary about a New York flophouse.

Rated: 2.5/5

Dec 8, 2002

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Eric W

How can a documentary be incredibly beautiful, yet incredibly sad at the same time? This film has somehow accomplished this. It’s my second time watching it and it still blows me away. The one description I see the most often about this film is that it’s raw, and I can’t think of a better description.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/21/25

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Audience Member

A great doc on the resilience of thoes fighting adversity. Makes you realize that anyone at anytime could be in the same boat. These are people that are looked down upon but I admire for being so strong. I doubt I would be able to survive long under their circumstances. What I don't understand is some are musically talented. This film captures the heart and soul of thoes living in a fading environment.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/05/25

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Stephen D

Pros: Real People Interesting subject Cons: Not enough post script

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/16/23

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Audience Member

Just amazing. How interesting to see these people with buried intelligence and past lives that are buried and shredded. Our world does not have answers for them or the 'right home' never came their way. Tragic but a great watch.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

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Audience Member

This fine documentary is respectful of the people filmed and shows their intelligence, courage, and self-awareness in spite of poverty, physical illness and psychological problems.There is nothing condescending in the work which allows people to speak for themselves without "interpretation" by the filmmaker. It also show's a history of NYC that has been forgotten with the changing times. This is a film of compassion and understanding. Bravo!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/04/23

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Audience Member

Incredible. Raw, dark & poetic like having a whiskey with Leonard Cohen on any given rainy night in NYC. Don't miss.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/19/23

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Michael Dominic

Director

Nathan Smith

Narrator

Michael Dominic

Producer

Michael Dominic

Writer

Nathan Smith

Writer

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Synopsis

New York City's Bowery has a notorious history and is synonymous with hobos, drunks and the downtrodden. This documentary portrays one of the street's last remaining flophouses in a neighborhood transformed by gentrification. The Sunshine Hotel is a link to the Bowery's rapidly vanishing past and home to a fascinating array of characters who tell how they ended up there. Our guide and narrator is the hotel's manager, who introduces us to the residents.

Director: Michael Dominic
Producer: Michael Dominic
Screenwriter: Michael Dominic, Nathan Smith
Production Co: Broadway Bill Productions
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): May 22, 2017
Runtime: 1h 36m
Sound Mix: Surround

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