Shadyac & Spurlock: A Double Dose Of Docs

2 = Average Participation (No Citation Awarded) (Both Films) 

I confess that I have a certain soft spot for documentaries as a Film Warrior.  I’m endlessly fascinated by the world around me, and I enjoy learning about the very real individuals and subjects of docs that inhabit this world on a daily basis.  Fictional blockbusters are one thing, but knowing that Mark Borchardt, subject of the 1999 doc, “American Movie” really exists beyond the film’s running time is quite another.

A few weeks back I explored the often humorous documentary; “The People vs. George Lucas” (review HERE).  This time out I settled in for a double feature of docs that feature subjects such as Man’s place on this planet and, ironically, product placement in films.

First up is Tom Shadyac’s life changing exploration into our flawed world with “I Am.”  Shadyac was a prominent Hollywood director of such features as “Ace Ventura” and “Bruce Almighty” when a biking accident left him with a debilitating post concussion disorder.  After suffering for months his symptoms amazingly subside, and he utilizes his second chance at life by setting out on a journey to find out what’s wrong with the world and how we can fix it.

He interviews a group of poets, scientists, and philosophers (Noam Chomsky, Lynn McTaggart, and Desmond Tutu among them) in an effort to see if there is a connective tissue that binds us to other humans and the world around us, or if we really are disconnected entities. 

The answers won’t really come as a surprise, especially when material such as this has been previously explored in such efforts as the 1990 film “Mindwalk,” based on the work of Fritjof Capra.  “I Am” approaches the subject from a scientific standpoint, but the film often dips into New Age territory, especially when the director is projecting his connective energy onto a Petri dish full of yogurt.  Yes, yogurt.  Where’s Jim Carrey when you need him?

Shadyac is certainly well meaning, and at times his film borders on inspirational, but his “all you need is love” message might ring a bit hollow with some audiences, especially when he downshifts his lifestyle from a multimillion dollar mansion in Beverly Hills to a really nice mobile home in…Malibu.  Apparently love still doesn’t pay the bills.

Speaking of bill paying, “Super Size Me” star Morgan Spurlock tackles the subject product placement in films with his often hysterical doc, “The Greatest Movie Ever Sold.”  Spurlock attempts to fund the entire doc (which he does) solely from the money of corporate sponsors, which he will in turn feature their product at some point in the film.  This could be as simple as conducting an interview inside a Jet Blue terminal, or a full blown 30 second ad spot with Spurlock acting as pitchman for the product.

Unfortunately Spurlock traps himself into a situation where he can’t bite that hand that feeds him, and that limits his ability to remain objective about his subject.  He can’t fully explore the negative impact advertising in films (and in general) has had upon our society without incurring the wrath of the advertisers holding the purse strings, so as a result he’s forced to mute is own sardonic sense of humor and play nice in an effort to continue selling out.  

On the upside, Spurlock stills sprinkles plenty of humor where he can (usually at his own expense) throughout the film, making the subject matter easier to digest even if we never really learning anything once it’s over.  Most interesting is his trip to Sao Paulo, Brazil, where the city has banned all forms of advertising on vehicles and buildings, and how that decision has impacted the life quality of its population.

Second most interesting is his interview with sell out director Brett Ratner, whose bloated form lets out a few obnoxious comments regarding products in film.  Someone should have slapped a Taco Bell sticker on his forehead before filming.

“Deeds, not words…”