Joe Gantz’s documentary about the strain on activists’ family life is served with lashings of soppy
music and corny montages
An assortment of
American climate-change activists, from teenagers to septuagenarians, are tracked over several months as they protest, get arrested and face charges in court. All the while, each of them must try to reconcile the demands of family life with their commitment to saving the planet. And each is so passionate about activism that personal relationships certainly do suffer.
For example, Bill Moyer, a resident of
Washington state, spends most of his time leading a campaign against fossil fuel use that involves demonstrations with kayaks – “kayaktivism” – and draping colourful banners from bridges. His teenage daughter says that she admires what her dad does but she also resents it when he’s not there for her birthday party. It becomes clear he’s missed a lot of father-daughter bonding, and making pancakes for breakfast every day for a year will only get so far in repairing the damage.