Friday, October 22, 2010
LEGAL ISN'T ENOUGH
Today's film was the documentary
William Kunstler: Disturbing the Universe (2009)
produced and directed by Kunstler's daughters Sarah and Emily.
The daughters examine their dad's life and career and find it wanting in some respects. They study and inquire and talk to people about this controversial man.
In the end, they gain a perspective that is quite extraordinary. As was their Dad.
The sum up at the end, by Kunstler himself, explores about the limits of "legality". What moral limitations lie within its frame.
There are many teary moments as Kunstler's life illustrates the period of civil rights cases that he fought.
In his later years liberals felt abandoned by him as he took controversial cases regardless of their politics. We see how, in some ways, he was right. How his clients were later exonerated.
I liked this film a lot but the structure and viewpoint is a little cramped. The daughters keep getting in the way a bit. I suppose this is inevitable. Like the home movies that show them with their Dad at home and at his work, they are cute but distracting from the main story we came to hear.
I will give it a 3 out of Netflix5.
Labels: films
