Movie Review: An Inconvenient Truth

Last Tuesday night, amidst the perpetual electric buzz of Times Square, a bunch of grassroots enviros gathered to take in a screening of Al Gore's new documentary about global warming-"An Inconvenient Truth." A paradoxical setting, sure, but a generous and important gesture from the studio to give some committed greens an advance look at what might prove to be a pretty pivotal film. We can only hope.

"An Inconvenient Truth" isn't perfect, but it's damn effective. The science itself is incredible. Apparently, ever since Gore (perhaps too) graciously accepted the Supreme Court's decision to stop the recount in 2000, he's been giving--over and over again--a slideslow about global warming. Most of this film is footage from various takes on this slideshow, and these parts are certainly the best. Gore has worked tirelessly to distill any confusion out of the global warming issue--to lay it out in the most clear and comprehensible of terms. The result is truly moving, even to someone who feels rather tuned into the issue.

My only criticism about the film--and I sincerely hope that I'm way off-base with this--is that through the handful of diversions through Gore's personal history, the viewer is left with the unshakable feeling that Honest Al is tossing his hat in the ring for a bid in 2008. Not that I'd be unhappy to see him in office. Quite the opposite. (In fact, most folks don't realize that Gore exhausted himself in 2000 trying to convince his "advisers" to allow him to talk about global warming, to present a $10 Billion (with a "B") plan for combatting it, only to have the issue buried for reasons of politics.) I'd just hate to see people write this flick off as a campaign move, and I worry that too many dramatic shots of the ex-Veep traipsing about the farm as a kid and stories of family tragedy will compromise the very dire and very real arguments for taking global warming very seriously.

In a slight aside, I also find the film's web domain to be an incredibly clever one: www.climatecrisis.net . I've always felt that "global warming" was a bit too gentle of a term, even a touch inviting. Who doesn't want a little "warmth" in their life? Perhaps we should make the collective and concerted effort to rebrand this impending catastrophe as the "crisis" that it truly is.

"An Inconvenient Truth" will open nationally in May. Do mankind a favor and go see it as soon as it opens in your town. Twice. Bring friends. Cause some sleepless nights for the aloof and the skeptics in your life.

By Ben Jervey
www.greenappleguide.com