Friday, November 10, 2017

Unfractured (2017) DOC NYC 2017

Portrait of biologist Sandra Steingraber over the course of a year as she fights to keep fracking out of New York State.

This is a low key portrait that keeps its eye on its subject and doesn't go overboard with the all the details of  fracking. It is a film about the warrior and not the war so while we watch as she wades into the fray we are really focused on her and her family. We watch as we she cares for her sick husband, travels with her young so to rallies and engages with the other soldiers in the fight to maintain the environment in an unpolluted state.

While this is a solid portrait of Steingraber the film is a bit too low key. To me there didn't seem to be a sense of urgency to the proceedings. We are simply watching the good fight from the point of view of the warrior doing battle. While that what is here is excellent, I'm still not sure why I was watching this, what makes this story so special it demands to be told? I'm not sure.

More simply put the film never fully generates the level of "excitement" to make it something I really feel the need to discuss.  While there is nothing wrong with the film, it is wonderful in what it does, I wasn't filled with any desire other than to say "yea that was good what's next"

UNFRACTURED plays at DOC NYC tomorrow

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