An Inconvenient Truth

CORPORATE LINE: Humanity is sitting on a time bomb. If the vast majority of the world’s scientists are right, we have just ten years to avert a major catastrophe that could send our entire planet into a tail-spin of epic destruction involving extreme weather, floods, droughts, epidemics and killer heat waves beyond anything we have ever experienced. A catastrophe we have helped create. If that sounds like a recipe for serious gloom and doom — think again. From director Davis Guggenheim comes the Sundance Film Festival hit, AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH, which offers a passionate and inspirational look at one man’s commitment to expose the myths and misconceptions that surround global warming. That man is former Vice President Al Gore, who, in the wake of defeat in the 2000 election, re-set the course of his life to focus on an all-out effort to help save the planet from irrevocable change.

In this eye-opening and poignant portrait of Gore and his “traveling global warming show,” Gore is funny, engaging, open and downright on fire about getting the surprisingly stirring truth about what he calls our “planetary emergency” out to ordinary citizens before it’s too late. With 2005, the worst storm season ever experienced in America just behind us, it seems we have reached a tipping point – and Gore pulls no punches in explaining the dire situation. Interspersed with the bracing facts and future predictions is the story of Gore’s personal journey: from an idealistic college student who first saw a massive environmental crisis looming; to a young Senator facing a harrowing family tragedy that altered his perspective; to the man who almost became President but instead returned to the most impassioned cause of his entire life – believing there is still time to make a difference. With wit, smarts and hope, AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH ultimately brings home Gore’s persuasive argument that we can no longer afford to view global warming as a political issue – rather, it is simply one of the biggest moral challenges facing every person in our times.

REVIEW: There is a reason not to see this film—if you are content to hide from the truth about global warming. I actually knew quite a bit about the issue from reading about it over the years in science magazines. I decided to pay to see the movie and go with my wife because the money is better spent rather than getting one of the usual freebie screenings film critics go to. But a part of me didn’t want to see the film—I knew what it was going to say and I worried that it would make me even more concerned about the issue.

It did just that. This is a movie that makes you ask yourself “what can I do?” And there is nothing better than a movie that makes you want to take action. It also pisses you off to no end that our leadership is pretending it isn’t happening. It’s hard to ignore something is wrong when Connecticut reaches 100 degrees on a summer day. Or that over the last five years we’ve had the hottest summer’s on record.

It would be easy to go on and on about the facts and figures. It’s easier to say that this is a movie that every citizen in America must see. MUST! It’s not whether the documentary is good or bad—it’s vital.

FRANKLY: An Inconvenient Truth is an important documentary. I can’t remember when a documentary made me want to act so badly. Sadly, I wonder “what if Al Gore would have released this prior to his run for President?” Would he have won? Who knows—but it would have made me feel that the man had passion. That he was a man who wanted more than a title. Al Gore loves this country. He loves this world. Can one man make a difference? I sure hope so.

+ Charlie Craine