Project Nim (***1/2)

I had heard the story of the chimpanzee Nim Chimsky. Born in 1973, he was the subject of an experiment whose ostensible purpose was to see if a chimp raised like a human child would develop basic language skills. As fascinating as that question is, the story of what happened to Nim as an individual is equally so, and certainly both stranger and, at times, disturbing. The decision to place Nim in a New York City apartment with a caretaker— a former student of the researcher living with half a dozen kids—who knew nothing about chimps and little about sign language is only the first of the odd events. She was, however, willing to treat him so like one of her own young children that she breast fed him. And yet, he would be taken from her.

There are several more stops on Nim’s odyssey, and while the jury is still out on how much language apes can acquire—a question explored more in Elizabeth Hess’s book than in this adaptation—it’s hard to come away from this movie with good feelings toward primate experimentation. Yet the tone director James Marsh takes is as even as that in his previous documentary, Man on Wire. He has the benefit of having nearly every person important to the story participating in his film, though most of the story is at a 30 year remove. This includes Herb Terrace, the researcher who oversaw Project Nim, as well as the humans who bonded with Nim. Since Nim was the subject of the scientific research, Marsh also has period footage of Nim, whose signing is helpfully translated on screen.

In the end, Nim shows himself to share many human qualities, but the film also shows that to be not entirely a flattering comparison.


IMDB link


viewed at Ritz Bourse and reviewed 7/31/11

Food Inc. (***3/4)

In the last 50 years, the way Americans eat has been quietly transformed, mostly for the worse, and this riveting documentary is part of a small-but-growing effort to change things. At this point, it’s common knowledge that what is often called the Western diet is not ideal from a health standpoint. Super Size Me (2004) became one of the highest-grossing documentaries by demonstrating the effects of too much fast food. Somewhat less well-known is how the family farm of the popular imagination has almost entirely given way to a system built on the model of big business. Director Robert Kenner shows how and why this has occurred, and the unique effects of this model as applied to food.

Kenner covers ground explored in the nonfiction of Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation) and Michael Pollan (The Omnivore’s Dilemma), among others. These two are among the experts who appear (Schlosser is a co-producer), and for people familiar with their work, much here will be familiar, but the visuals and the testimonials from individuals are still valuable. For those new to the subject, the information here is likely to surprise and shock. Along with contributing to an epidemic of obesity and poor nutrition, the current system results in unnecessary animal abuse, food-borne illnesses, and industrial pollution. The film looks at all of these aspects with the organizing principle being the increasing control of production by a few large companies, often subsized by taxpayers.

Kenner condenses a lot of information into the space of a single feature, with a good mix of solid facts and individual testimonials. Anyone who eats should see this.

IMDB link

viewed (Philadelphia Film Festival) and reviewed 6/19/09