简介：WinnerofaprestigiousSpecialMentionjuryawardattheBerlinInternationalFilmFestival,QualityofLifeisanarrativefeaturefilmthattellsthegrippingandauthenticstoryofMichael"Heir"RosarioandCurtis“Vain”Smith,themostprolificandtalentedgraffitiwritersintheMissionDistrictinSanFrancisco. Theylivealifeofdrearydead-enddayjobsandillicitlatenightgraffiti,hittingupspotsacrossthedarkwallsandlosttunnelsofSanFrancisco. However,oneunluckyevening,theboysarebustedforpaintingandeverythingchanges. Facedwithrestitutionandtheprospectofservinghardtime,HeirandVainstruggletomaintain.Asthecopscloseinagain,thepathstheychoosethreatentounraveltheirlifelongfriendshipand,ultimately,theirlives. QualityofLife,asatruelow-budgetindie,isaremarkablypolishedfilm.ChroniclingthelivesoftwoFriscograffwriters(VainandHeir)astheirencounterswiththelawplacestrainontheirfriendshipandambitions,themovietakesapenetratinglookatthoseinvolvedintheundergroundgraffitimovement,aswellastheirplaceinsociety. Whileonecharacter,Heir,considersstraighteningouthislifebygettinginvolvedinadvertising,bringingtolightthedifficultiesinvolvedinsuchatransition,hisfriend,Vain,unwillingtoletgoofthe"bombing"lifestyle,headsintoatailspin,thateventuallyexplodesinthefilm'spowerfulclimax. Despitetheseriousnatureofthefilm,themoviehasalotoffunnymoments,whichpreventitfrombeingoverbearing.Thecharacters-artistsatacrossroads-arecomplexandinteresting,andagoodbalance,themorevolatileVaincomplementingthemorelevel-headedHeir.Aesthetically,thecinematography,whichmirrorsthegrittinessoftheFriscograffscene,isbeautifulinitsabrasiveness,andthesoundtrack,featuringbayareaemceeslikeAndreNikatinaandTopRamen,helpssetthemood.There'salsosomeprettyillfightscenesandthetagsaretopnotch.Iwoulddefinitelyrecommendthismovietoanyoneinterestedinhiphopculture.…