Al Gore’s movie, An Inconvenient Truth continued to do well at the box office in its second weekend out; it went into wider release and broke into the Top Ten with $1.33 million, despite playing in only 77 theaters nationwide. Released by Paramount Classics, the film averaged an impressive $17,292 per theater, compared to $12,410 in 3,070 cinemas for “The Break-Up,” which (ironically and pitifully) was the Number One movie of the weekend. However well “An Inconvenient Truth” is doing at the box office, and however glorious the reviews, I have to admit: I hated the movie.
These are my reasons why:
1) Though this may sound incredibly superficial, Al Gore has a piece of food stuck in his teeth throughout the entire “presentation” part of the movie, which (by my estimation) is over half the length of the film. I sat in the third row of the theater and was way too close to his face to begin with, so you can only imagine my chagrin at having to view what I believe is a piece of spinach lodged in the corner of his lower bicuspid. I googled “Al Gore” + “food stuck in teeth/tooth” and came up with nothing; thus I am rather baffled that no one has noticed and/or written about this yet. It is appalling. If movie art directors and special effects folk can make actors look skinnier and taller than they are or create characters like Yoda, then they can get a piece of green gunk out of the former Vice President’s mouth before they release a movie nationally.
2) While much has been written about Mr. Gore’s stellar use of Powerpoint, I think we need to look at where these kudos are coming from. CNN is not, at least to my knowledge, the arbiter of good design taste. Before everyone starts ooh-ing and ahh-ing over Gore’s use of bullet points and laser pointers, I suggest they read what Edward Tufte thinks of tons of type on multi-colored slides. Please.
3) Before anyone gets into a total tizzy, I am not suggesting that WHAT Al Gore is saying isn’t logical and truthful. It is. But it is certainly not the first time anyone has said it, and certainly not the first time it has been the focus of a nationally released film. Hasn’t anyone seen The Day After Tomorrow? Same message, better special effects. I don’t mean to be flippant here, but what exactly is the new message in Gore’s film? That Republican politicians don’t believe the numerous scientific reports and overwhelming planetary evidence? Are we supposed to be surprised at this? This is the same administration that believed that they could capture Bin Laden and thought that Katrina would just blow out to sea.
4) “An Inconvenient Truth” concludes with an approximately sixty second directive on “what we can do to help save the planet.” This includes the following:
—try to get a hybrid car
—turn off your lights and get more efficient light bulbs
—write your local/national politicians
—go to Gore’s website for more information
and the most self-indulgent directive:
—tell everyone you know to see the movie
Now I did not need to see this film in order to understand what is happening to our planet. I was hoping to learn more about what can be done and who is coming up with new and innovative solutions to our global problems. I was hoping to learn how I could get more involved, to which I didn’t anticipate hearing feeble recommendations about light bulbs and websites. I did not go to this movie to watch to Al Gore make a Powerpoint presentation with a conclusion reminiscent of “oh, it was a dream and Bobby is still really alive.” There is no doubt in my mind that human beings are destroying the planet. There is no doubt in my mind that we must change our way of living in the world if we want to preserve it for future generations. But there is no doubt in my mind that this film is politicking at its worst: it does a great job of placing the blame and a dire job of suggesting realistic, innovative, non-cliched solutions.
In fact, what I expect is this: “An Inconvenient Truth” is a well-timed movie release to bring Gore back into the public eye. Could this have to do with the upcoming Presidential race? Yesterday Gore said “no.” But I think we all know that politicians usually take that stance before they stage a campaign or a comeback. So I am not convinced. What I am convinced of, however, is this: it is clear he has had quite a lot of speech coaching, and his clothes are better. Too bad he isn’t saying anything new or offering any new suggestions, and too bad no one checked his teeth before his close-up redux.
Debbie, I haven't seen the film but I do know that he used Keynote.
As for the food particle, is there any chance it could have been a gap in a receding gum line? Based on anecdotes from friends that worked on his winning presidential campaign in 2000, he seems too anal compulsive to not look in the mirror.
On Jun.05.2006 at 01:35 PM