Today's doc. was filmed in Chicago. I get a strange sense of satisfaction living in a city that appears so often in pop culture. I remember seeing 'Contagion' in theaters and getting a momentary thrill when part of the story took place just a few blocks from where I used to work.
But that's not what makes this doc good. In the usual PBS style, it's the hard hitting, emotional look into lives of danger and hardship that makes it worth my time. This is easily in the top 5 of the year so far.
The film follows members of the non-profit CeaseFire, a group of ex-gang members determined to end gang violence before it starts. We watch them mediate with active gang members of Chicago for a full year, from the blistering heat of the summer to the blistering cold of the winter. Within that year they focus on the stories of 3 or 4 main kids as they learn to deal with confrontation in non-violent ways.
What I learned: How bad the gang problem is in Chicago. I figured it was bad, but man, it's real bad. They tell many, many stories about the effect gang violence has had on South Chicago: kids shot and stabbed, put in jail, permanently crippled, and even killed. The worst is the stories of innocent bystanders caught in the middle of gangfights; young kids shot or run over because of a confrontation. There are some heart-wrenching interviews with parents who lost their kids this way.
What I liked: The CeaseFire people are heroes, no doubt about it. I'm amazed at their ability to talk to kids about solving problems nonviolently without sounding cliched and old-fashioned. Maybe it's because most of them come from the same backgrounds as these kids, so they are able to directly relate to them.
The hero of the film is definitely Ameena Matthews, ex-gang member and daughter of famous Chicago gang leader Jeff Fort. Ameena has an amazing presence; from the moment she shows up onscreen she steals the show. She's able to be both mentor and friend to the troubled teens, calling them out on their actions one minute and cracking jokes with them the next. And I was almost in tears after her amazing eulogy at a young boy's funeral who was killed by neighborhood violence.
Ameena Mathews: badass
What I didn't like: I would have liked to hear more about what I could do to help. I'm in the city, for pete's sake. I'm not naive enough to think I could go down to the South Side and take part in some "Real Talk" with these gang members. I'd get shot, or slapped at the very least. But after watching this I feel a need to get involved, but I'm not sure how.
A good documentary should be shocking; it should take you out of your element and your comfort zone. It should stay with you the rest of the day. And, even if it's sad, it should provide enough hope to keep you from becoming pessimistic. This film did all of that. Go watch it, right now.
Here's an awesome review from Slate, where they call it "the most necessary film of the year":
Slate's Review of 'The Interrupters'Finally, here's Ameena on The Colbert Report. Even when discussing something this serious she can still maintain a sense of humor and a joyful disposition. Amazing.
Colbert Report Interview And here's the trailer:
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