By Gregory Crofton
Rachel Grady and Heidi Ewing’s documentary (they made the Oscar-nominated JESUS CAMP) about the implosion of Detroit – is not lousy, but it’s not very good either.
I’ve been suspicious of this documentary since I laid eyes on its promotional poster. Two hipster artists standing alone wearing gold-plated gas masks amid the city’s decay. Turns out the image wasn’t manufactured by the filmmakers, but rather by two artists who got married in Hawaii and decided to move to Detroit because it’s cheaper to live there than other places in America.
Other than that annoyingly catchy image, the film is a slow-tempo meditation on city life, which is fine and well done, but it all seems too light weight when its core issue, the decline of manufacturing in the U.S., demands a more in-depth and expansive look.
You can buy and download the film from Itunes: HERE.