The Interrupters

Steve James elevates his game and patiently pans across societal ills in the most passionate documentary I have seen since Hoop Dreams. In 2009 more died from gang violence in Chicago than did U.S. soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. It's the reciprocal violence that is the phenomenon. James for one year latches to the hip of 'The Interrupters', a group of former gang members making up the nonprofit CeaseFire, as they 'interrupt' violence. He is after the phenomenon as much as anything else. The wizended folks of CeaseFire have all been incarcerated. Their story is hauntingly typical and prophetic. These folks that preach higher ground and forgiveness are sad. They're sad because there aren't really any answers when belonging is the issue and so many don't belong to much. Essentially what they're asking 'at risk youth' to do is to grasp on to fruits of the spirit when that is seemingly the most alienating and uncool thing one can do.

 If one lives on a high ground, where does one get off asking groundlings to act as if they have season tickets for box seats? James making this documentary begs asking. Refreshingly, they get their hands dirty for better or worse, James included. It takes a PBS audience to stomach the systemic mess. I still don't know what to do about it though, the violence that is. I don't think James or CeaseFire really does either. They make it clear that at the root of the problem is that nagging human affinity for belonging and power. Combating that might take more than jobs and opportunity and education. I wish we could bring in the forefathers on this one. Their foresight, most of which went unpublished, addressed this kind of stuff, albeit marred with antiquated, enlightenment quills. Is a step back possible in a capitalist system? Steve James, here, blows the dust off such a question. It's a brave film that bolsters faithful bravery. You don't have a choice, you have to see this one. You can watch it here.