“No Impact Man” (2009) – Review #32

Colin Beavan decided to live one year without having any negative impact on the environment. What does that mean? It means only buying local, not using anything disposable (including diapers, plastic containers and toilet paper!), not taking the elevator, only using public transportation, not using electricity and not producing any waste. All in a small New York apartment.

Can he do it? Yes. And it’s an incredible feat.

As a movie, film-makers Laura Gabbert and Justin Schein got two special presents: Colin’s wife and daughter. His wife is incredibly well-spoken, she manages to pin-point the situation again and again, articulate and with humor, while conversations with their daughter are used tastefully, intelligently and charmingly as a narrative vehicle. Very well done.

Even so the movie falls short. In the end Colin questions the value of the project and it becomes apparent that, like a poorly set up experiment, the “No Impact Man” project doesn’t prove anything. Well, anything except that everyone involved have their hearts in the right place and deserve much credit for completing a very ambitious project.

IMDB: 6.6/10 (352 votes) / Rotten Tomatoes: 88% (40 reviews) / Official site / 93 minutes
Directed by: Laura Gabbert and Justin Schein

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- “Food = Waste”
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- “Food, Inc.”