Director: Ken Burns, Artemis Joukowsky
Cast: Tom Hanks, Marina Goldman
Have I Seen It Before: Never. You might be saying now that I would have had to take extra pains bobbing and weaving to avoid a Ken Burns documentary about a Unitarian minister that has already been shown multiple times at Circle Cinema, and I wouldn’t blame you for thinking so.
And yet, here we are.
Did I Like It: Here’s an opportunity to really tell if people are reading these reviews at all. A little over fifteen years ago, I gave semi-serious consideration to going to a seminary to study to become a Unitarian Universalist minister. I even took a tour of the closest seminary that might be built to accommodate such an education. Time passed, and writing took a little more of a front seat around that time. Couple that with a growing suspicion that my personal theology might veer more towards nothing more loft than wanting to go to the movies as much as possible, the thought took a back seat.
Slowly but surely over the last year or, it’s been creeping back towards the front seat, if not quite reclaiming its momentary position. Will I go? Ask me right now, and I’d say probably not, but that’s still an improvement in odds from two years ago, when the thought wouldn’t have even crossed my mind, and certainly better than it was about two weeks ago, when I would have laughed with more than a little hostility at the prospect.
Why do I bring all this up? I could go into my usual survey of the strengths of a documentary. The technical aspects, the insight, and the level of access to the subject. You don’t need to hear me grading the documentary GOAT.
But it is worth noting that this may be the first Ken Burns documentary I’ve ever seen where there was at least a slight possibility I could see myself doing something resembling the job of the subject.
Who knows what the future might hold, but that makes a documentary hit different. Also, Ken Burns knows what he’s doing.