An Inconvient Truth: Movie Review
Former Vice-President and Democratic Party Presidential nominee, Al Gore, received a well deserved Academy Award in the Best Documentary Feature category for his movie An Inconvenient Truth.
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It also represents his call for action to solve the problem.
The movie succeeds partially because of the Vice-President's familiarity with climate science. Using charts, graphs and some homespun tales, he transforms a very complicated scientific problem into language familiar to young and old alike, including those with very limited scientific knowledge. The movie's overarching theme, the reality of climate change, serves as the cornerstone of the Vice-President's campaign to move the climate change policy debate away from the Bush Administration's "stay the course and do more research" position to a "let's solve this problem" position.
In addition to the science based presentation, the movie also reveals more about the person behind the Vice-President's persona. For example, it was very interesting to discover a kind of universal truth about a child's intuitive ability to conceptualize the theory of Plate Tectonics by looking at a map or globe of the world. It's equally true that there are both good and less than capable teachers among us, and as a society we suffer when the less than capable occupy positions in our school systems. If you have not seen the movie, this reference probably makes no sense.
The movie also succeeds artistically. The cinematography depicting climate change influences in polar, tropical and other regions of the world are artfully woven into the presentation. While it might have been lacking the special effects of another climate change movie, The Day After Tomorrow, it was still natural cinema at its best.
If there's any weakness to the movie, it would be the acting. I happened to catch a showing of it as part of a double feature at the local dollar movies on a hot "dog days" of August week-day afternoon. The other feature was The Devil Wears Prada staring Meryl Streep. Mr. Vice-President, I know you tried your best, and you were very good. However, all things being equal, I'm sure you'd agree that your talent does not yet match Ms. Streep's talent.
Green Nature recommends the movie for the entire family. You can click on the link below to find more information about climate change.
Additional Information
An Inconvenient TruthThe site provides information about climate change. You can also purchase a DVD of the movie with all profits going to charity.
© 2007 Patricia A. Michaels