I AM is a documentary that makes many worthwhile observations about how we live, what our values are and what we might do to reverse some of the more dangerous trends in our current version of civilization. It is well-paced and makes its point-of-view known early in the story. I AM explores how we have evolved in our perception of ourselves and the world around us. One major theme is that Homo sapiens have survived not necessarily by “survival of the fittest” but by cooperation with others. That in fact only one aspect of Darwin’s Theory of Evolution has been promoted while his theories about cooperation as part of survival and evolution have been ignored. What emerges is the idea that humans have separated themselves from nature so completely that it could destroy them. Science evolves in its theories but the documentary claims that there may be over reliance on science in our culture.
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Tom Shadyac, whose films include, Bruce The Almighty, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and The Nutty Professor, has it all, luxurious homes, corporate jets; the life style of the rich and famous until, one day he is in an accident riding his bicycle. The concussion he received in the accident puts him in the hospital for an extended stay. Even after being released from the hospital, he suffers from Post Concussion Syndrome – the same malady pro football players experience. When he finally recovers he decides he needs to find the answer to two key questions: “What is wrong with our world?” and “What can we do about it?” With a small documentary film crew of four, Shadyac goes on a quest to find the answer to these questions by interviewing some great minds including authors, poets, teachers, religious leaders and scientists (Lynn McTaggart, Desmond Tutu, Thom Harman, Coleman Barks, David Zuzuki and others).
“We started asking what’s wrong with the world and ended up discovering what’s right with it.” — Tom Shadyac.
Shadyac sets up this hybrid documentary with what may be reenacted scenes of him in the hospital, leaving the hospital, and recovering. Before long there are shots of his past opulent Hollywood life style with one or two large, nouveau riche decorated homes. This opening seems a little long but does make the point of how rich Shadyac is and how he seems to have been, like many Americans, obsessed with material wealth. But the central theme of this story is not material wealth. It also appears that while Shadyac “lived the life” he did so because he thought it was what you were supposed to do.
One of the first ideas presented in I AM is the reliance humankind has put on science. I AM does not seem to be an anti science documentary. It simply offers human realities to be considered as well as scientific theory when it comes down to human existence. There is no doubt that scientific theory can be and is questioned by scientists themselves over time. The documentary does make a false analogy about what has been considered scientific fact at a given point in history by one culture and reality. In some respects it equates scientific fact with how it is interpreted by society. The film does seem to try to make the point that somehow science equates with a mechanistic view of how humans behave and eat. It is easy to blame science and the government for all that is wrong with the world. Perhaps the problems lie with people, who they select as leaders and not faceless institutions.
David Zuzuki, Scientist, Author “The Sacred Balance” is one of the first people interviewed, he is insightful. He makes the case for a holistic view of what humankind have created as their reality of the world. He also points out how we have come to treat “The Economy” almost as if it were some natural force, beyond human control. The premiss that “Greed is Good” has become commonplace.
I AM covers a number of contemporary issues about how we live and brings to light not only the problems but possible solutions. It is fast paced, incorporates archival footage and graphics to tell the story. I AM is well-directed, edited and shot. Director Tom Shadyac chose to treat the story as a personal quest. At times he seems very self-conscious in this role. There is something to be learned from watching I AM.
In his novel “Island” Aldus Hulley wrote:
“Dualism… Without it there can hardly be good literature.With it, there most certainly can be no good life. “I” affirms a separate and abiding me-substance; “am” denies that all existence is relationship and change. “I am.” Two tiny words, but what an enormity of untruth! The religiously-minded dualist calls homemade spirits from the vastly deep; the non dualist calls the vastly deep into his spirit or, to be more accurate, he finds that the vastly deep is already there.” –– Aldus Huxley – “Island”
It’s interesting that a filmmaker made a documentary that in part talks about humans cooperating. That’s what we do making films. We cooperate to create something larger than the sum of its parts, something that wasn’t there before. I feel that idea coming through in this documentary.
REVIEW WRITTEN BY J R MARTIN,. AUTHOR CREATE DOCUMENTARY FILMS, VIDEOS AND MULTIMEDIA Documentary Filmmaker – See other documentary reviews by James R Martin at https://www.jrmartinmedia.com/reviews
IAM 2011 78 MIN. DIRECTED BY TOM SHADYAC FLYING EYE PRODUCTIONS
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