Tiny: The Life of Erin Blackwell Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Tiny: The Life of Erin Blackwell Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf July 23, 2021

In 1984’s “Streetwise,” Erin Blackwell was known as “Tiny.” A 14-year-old prostitute, the girl struggled with a life spent on the hard streets of Seattle, making fleeting friendships and experiencing something resembling love with a boy named Rat. Erin Blackwell eventually survived her brutal formative years, and 2016’s “Tiny: The Life of Erin Blackwell” offers a reunion with the now 44-year-old mother of 10 children, who continues on her journey to basic functionality, only now she’s saddled with a lot more responsibility.

“Streetwise” explored the resilience of childhood, finding Erin working to separate from her alcoholic mother, Pat, and try her luck with homelessness, using her body to fund her new reality. Those days are long gone in “Tiny,” with director William Bell and photographer Mary Ellen Mark (who appears in the documentary) updating Erin’s story, which they previously did in 1993 and 2005. However, instead of maturity and inner peace, the subject remains in a state of chaos, struggling with the remnants of drug addiction, a broken marriage, and the trials of being involved with an assortment of children she couldn’t raise, with half of the kids brought up in foster care. “Tiny” shares an incredibly sad story of denial, as all Erin can do is keep moving forward, watching as her oldest sons openly live with drugs and violence while raising their own children. Others face racism and distance from their mother.

Bell and Mark don’t come down hard on Erin, trying to capture her thoughts as she revisits footage from previous documentaries, and she offers little more than a few regrets and a wish to be “skinny” again. Time with Erin isn’t exactly insightful, but cyclical behavior is crystal clear, hearing tales of her first pregnancy at 16, openly using drugs while carrying her first born. Pat is still around simply out of habit, and Erin remains obsessed with dogs, filling her house with canines who offer unconditional love and consistent household mayhem the middle-aged woman thrives on. The filmmakers don’t become psychologists, but they leave all the evidence there for viewers.

Tiny: The Life of Erin Blackwell Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation delivers a crisp look at the HD-shot particulars of "Tiny: The Life of Erin Blackwell." Facial surfaces are sharp, exploring the weathered appearance of the subject and her children. Household decoration is open for study, and neighborhood tours are dimensional. Colors are precise, with lively primaries on clothing selections. Skintones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory. Mild banding is detected. The feature also includes photographic evidence and footage from previous documentaries on Erin Blackwell.

Tiny: The Life of Erin Blackwell Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix for the feature handles with a defined frontal position, offering a pleasing center sound for interview segments and camera confessionals. Surrounds detail some household atmospherics, along with the occasional panning effect. Low-end isn't challenged.

Tiny: The Life of Erin Blackwell Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• "Tiny at 20" (13:43) and "Erin" (23:30) are two short films (shot in 1993 and 2005) that focus on the development of Erin Blackwell as she grows into adulthood, trying to keep her head above water as drugs, children, and issues with her mother, Pat, keep her in a state of confusion. It's best to watch these pictures before a viewing of "Erin: The Life of Erin Blackwell," helping to gain a deeper understanding of the subject's personal habits and life choices.

• "Rat" (14:13, HD) is a reunion with Rich, one of the subjects from 1984's "Streetwise." The short, from Mary Ellen Mark and Martin Bell, mostly consists of the former "Rat" watching footage from "Streetwise," also providing an update on his once turbulent life.

• "The Amazing Plastic Lady" (21:55, SD) is a 1995 short film from Martin Bell and Mary Ellen Mark, which explores the world of circus performers in India.

• And a Trailer (2:25, HD) is included.

Tiny: The Life of Erin Blackwell Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Tiny: The Life of Erin Blackwell" is a depressing sit, obviously reserved for those who made it through "Streetwise," looking to see what happened to a teenager who was so confidently reckless in 1983 while trying to survive her own life. She's struggled in a major way even since, with the new documentary offering an interesting but sadly unsurprising update for Erin.