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How entertaining? ★★★★☆
Thought provoking? ★★☆☆☆ 15 July 2011
This article is a review of JUST DO IT a.k.a JUST DO IT: A TALE OF MODERN OUTLAWS. |
"I put my body in the way, and I don't mind me being arrested."
Dispelling the myth in one swoop that environmental activists are the great unwashed; instead JUST DO IT is a total rebranding. It is perfect timing. We could all do with a bit of hope at the moment. The credit crunch, environmental disasters, banker bonuses, MP expenses, and newspaper phone tapping, it all feels grim to say the least. There is a desire for optimism, and that’s what this documentary taps into. Here, the articulate and educated are attempting to fight against the futile, and bring awareness.
Dispelling the myth in one swoop that environmental activists are the great unwashed; instead JUST DO IT is a total rebranding. It is perfect timing. We could all do with a bit of hope at the moment. The credit crunch, environmental disasters, banker bonuses, MP expenses, and newspaper phone tapping, it all feels grim to say the least. There is a desire for optimism, and that’s what this documentary taps into. Here, the articulate and educated are attempting to fight against the futile, and bring awareness.
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We are told straight away that the director spent a year with a community of environmental activists, and are introduced to certain players. Aspects of their personalities come through, but there is not enough time to dissect their motivations, who they are, and what their end goal is. Those chosen to be followed are charismatic, photogenic and seem at ease with the camera. Marina, for example, calls herself a “domestic extremist” – i.e. someone who has gone beyond recycling and walking the kids to school, instead putting her body in the way. This may sound alarming, but she is shown to be a gentle soul, yet steadfast. Among other things, she provides tea on the front line to the campaigners. This documentary is about environmental direct action; here portrayed as peaceful protesting through disruption, e.g. taking over the offices of RBS, stating that as the government bailed them out, they have a duty to the public to invest in renewable energy.
This is a multi-strand doc, covering different campaigns, from a wind turbine factory closing down to the COP15 climate summit in Copenhagen. Each topic is economically presented, getting to the nub very quickly. It could’ve been so po-faced, but thankfully there is humour, coming from the activists, narration and editing juxtaposition. If this is our climate change medicine, it goes down well. While being disruptive to the status quo, the players and their behaviour are not portrayed in a negative way; which may be to the chagrin of those looking for balance. JUST DO IT touches on the root causes, such as multi-nationals, banks and governments, but mainly the result seems to be the humanising of protestors. (By the way, I would’ve liked to know how environmental direct action such as this is funded.) The main thing this film does is inject some sanguineness – through the idea that there are people such as these attempting to make a difference, and sacrificing their livelihoods, comfort and freedom in the face of injustice – no mean feat.
