The Divide *** (2015) – Movie Review

Director Katharine Round’s extremely big-hearted and well-meaning planet-saving documentary about global inequality is thoroughly engrossing, intelligent and provocative. Her film is inspired by the book The Spirit Level by Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett.

Through their own eyes, prompted by the director’s questioning, it tells the stories of an apparently randomly chosen seven people striving for a better life in today’s US and UK. They are meant to be representative, with their very different lives illustrating the idea that our our lives is controlled by the huge gap between rich and poor. Several of the seven are very interesting, likeable individuals, striving hard to survive, some fallen on hard times, all having a hard time. I would like to have known why these folk were picked out, but then, why not?, as apparently you could take 90 per cent of the planet and listen to similar stories.

When I saw The Divide, it got a rare round of applause at the end. It’s hard not to feel applause for Katharine Round and her film. My only real adverse criticism of it is that, at 78 minutes, it’s too short. I could have done with another half hour of it. Mr Cameron says that wealth isn’t a dirty word but the fact is that the top 0.1 per cent owns as much wealth as the bottom 90 per cent.

The Divide is in UK cinemas from 22 April 2016 and nationwide on 31 May  http://thedividedocumentary.com/

© Derek Winnert 2016 Movie Review

Link to Derek Winnert’s home page for more reviews: http://derekwinnert.com/