Video Librarian, March/April 2016

The Cody Rouge community of Detroit was not a place someone would want to stop in, says a longtime resident at the beginning of this spirited, inspiring documentary. Particular streets in the neighborhood were unofficially off-limits by mid-afternoon, due to brazen gang activity in an area where dozens of houses were abandoned and falling apart—a reflection of Detroit's larger problems with crumbling industries, abandonment of homes, and collapsed city services. Filmmaker Walter V. Marshall's documentary captures the incredible blight that struck Cody Rouge, especially in its schools and along residential streets, where kids were growing up with no sense of purpose, joining gangs for survival and a sense of family. Along came the nonprofit organization Life Remodeled, which took a holistic approach to rebuilding the community both literally and spiritually. Cody High tells the story of a massive effort to fix the schools and a number of houses, clean up and beautify the streets, and even refurbish a football field (including acquiring used goalposts from the Detroit Lions). But this was not just about structural improvements; Life Remodeled also helped create or restore programs for kids, with local mentorship providing direction. It's exciting to see Cody Rouge discover a newfound pride in this upbeat film about helping to lift people out of chronic hopelessness. Recommended.