Flophouse America (2025)
1h 18m 5.0/10 IMDb
Because of the big housing problem in the US many people move into cheap, run down hotels, the so-called Flophouse hotels. Twelve-year-old Mikal was born and raised in a hotel room he shares with his parents, who struggle with substance abuse. Driven by love and a desire for a better life, his greatest wish is for his mother to stop drinking. Mikal is bright and articulate, but his parents’ struggles prevent them from giving him the stability he needs. Through Mikal’s perspective, the film paints an intimate portrait of resilience, hope, and the harsh realities of life on society’s margins.
Director: Monica Strømdahl
Content Warnings
Mental Health & Emotional
Grief / bereavement (major focus)
Substance Use
Alcohol abuse (depicted) Drug use (depicted)
Violence & Physical Harm
Child abuse / harm to children
More Like This
Appears in Safe Lists
Documentary Movies Without Postpartum DepressionDocumentary Movies Without ClownsDocumentary Movies Without SnakesDocumentary Movies Without IncestDocumentary Movies Without MiscarriageDocumentary Movies Without Predatory Age-Gap RelationshipsDocumentary Movies Without Forced MarriageDocumentary Movies Without Vomit
View all safe lists →



