Director: Steve James
I thought it would be pretty hard for a social issues documentary/long-form PSA to faze me in anyway, but then I saw The Interrupters. This documentary is an incredibly powerful movie that takes the giant issue of gang violence highlights it for what it is. The documentary focuses on a group of "violence interrupters" who go around preventing fights and violence. It is extremely telling that the head of this group used to be a doctor, because gang violence is an epidemic that affects an incredible amount of people living in urban areas around the country and it will continue to rise because of the growing urbanization of our country.
Director Steve James, who also directed maybe my favorite documentary of all time, Hoop Dreams, embeds himself within these people who are trying to make a difference, and in doing so not only see the problem, but also the problems that may come about in finding a solution. You don't always see movies that show us the problem, but also the ways people are trying to solve the problem and the reasons why those efforts are not entirely successful. Honestly, The Interrupters is a movie that can spur action in anyone, and it's something I felt a deep connection to. There's nothing flashy about it, but it doesn't keep it from being one of the most effective "take action" documentaries I've seen in years.
Grade: A-
