134. Minding The Gap; movie review
Cert 15
94 mins
Baca Juga
And how is the day-to-day in one of America's decaying Rust Belt cities?
Oh, and how do families cope with domestic violence and is it restricted to older fathers?
The answers to these questions can only be truly provided by someone who has experienced the narrative first hand.
Thus, Bing Liu's Academy Award-nominated documentary works better than many because he is a talented film-maker digging deep into his own community.
If that makes Minding The Gap seems like a navel-gazing exercise, let me assure that it is not.
Liu puts tough questions to his friends and relatives, asking them to n explain their circumstances while also trying to understand why he was verbally and physically abused by his step-father.
His film draws on more than 12 years of footage from Rockford, Illinois - a city hit hard by decades of recession.
He focuses on his skateboarding community, following his pal Zack as he becomes a father and 17-year-old Keire as he gets his first job.
It transpires that Zack has a rollercoaster relationship with his girlfriend and Keire faces inner struggles with racial identity and the grief over a deceased father who gave him little time.
It is a tough movie in lots of ways.
Sure, there is the joy of the birth of a child, small wins on skateboards and Keire, regardless of adversity, has a fixed, engaging smile.
However, the darkness overshadows hope and most telling is how feckless parenting and domestic abuse repeats itself.
The stand-out element is a gripping interview between Bing and his mother in which he asks her about his step-father's violence.
Minding The Gap is a riveting piece of work but now I want to see how good Bing Liu is when thrust outside of his inner circle.
Reasons to watch: Real people reflecting real America
Reasons to avoid: Mother's interview is upsetting
Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 8/10
Did you know? According to data gathered by financial news website 24/7 Wall St. Rockford is the 16th worse city in which to live with an unemployment rate of 7.7 per cent - well above the 4.9 percent annual U.S. jobless rate.
The final word. Bing Liu: "For the longest time, this film was a present-day story before I entered it. You watch this guy become a young father for the first time, you watch this kid remember things about his dad and come to terms with it. Basically, the movie we came up with was, let’s just get Zack and Keire’s story up and going first, and I’ll figure out my story later. " Filmmaker
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