GREENer HOUSE

I finally took my family to see “An Inconvenient Truth,” yesterday. This global-warming documentary has lasted for three months now at Cinema Nouveau, Rosebank, which suggests that the word-of-mouth has been positive. We were an unusually tough audience: I’ve already read hundreds of articles on global warming, while my children (ages 9-15) are accustomed to more entertaining fare. So I am happy to report that we tough critics give the film two thumbs up. (To read what other critics said, see this post.)
I was nervous taking my children to such a serious film. But as we walked out of the theatre, my son said, “that was a good movie, not the best movie I could have chosen, but a good movie.” I consider that high praise coming from an 11-year-old boy who has just sat through a serious, 95 minute documentary created for adults. When I stood up from my seat during the credits, my kids wouldn’t budge. They were watching the hints for reducing your personal contribution to global warming, which were interspersed among the production credits. “You already do all of those things, Dad,” said my eldest. I have a feeling that, at the very least, the film has helped them understand why their kooky father rides his bike to the post office and climbs up a ladder to clean his solar panels.

From my perspective, I found the film’s use of graphics enlightening. (And frightening.) I learned a thing or two, and the explanations of complex science were well thought out and organised. I thought that the movie successfully held the audience’s attention with a variety of perspectives, the human interest element of Al Gore’s life, and a sprinkling of humour.

My severest criticism would be that it seems very American. The brief asides about Al Gore’s political career may or may not interest South Africans. More worrisome is that in highlighting America’s role in global warming, An Inconvenient Truth inadvertently gives South Africans an opening to think, “we’re not the problem.” One graphic shows Africa’s tiny per-capita contribution to carbon dioxide production, next to America’s giant contribution. Since it was the only mention of Africa, it caught the attention of both my wife and my children. I explained to them that the millions of Africans who by necessity get around on bikes, buses, trains, mini-bus taxis and their own two feet take the credit for that low figure. If all Africans lived like the few South Africans who can afford R40 to see a movie, we would probably rival the Americans.

Eventually, An Inconvenient Truth will reach video stores and television screens. But I don’t suggest that you wait. Even an action-packed adventure film struggles to hold a viewer’s focus when competing with ringing phones and doorbells. This film deserves your full attention.