This article is part of NUFEC's ongoing coverage of the Independent Film Festival Boston 2015.
This documentary short film caught my attention immediately, just as the original story captivated millions last year: Christopher Knight, dubbed the "North Pond Hermit", lived in the woods of Maine and had no human contact for over 27 years before he was caught by police. He stole all he possessed from nearby summerhouses, so those in the area were familiar, though uneasy and frustrated, with the strange burglaries that involved peanut butter going missing while jewels were left untouched. His eventual arrest and identity disclosure created a media frenzy, during which I read GQ's article titled "The Strange & Curious Tale of the Last True Hermit" - a title I dismiss, given the subjective definition of a "true hermit" and knowing Christopher Knight is likely not the "last" of those living somewhere in isolation.
Unfortunately, The Hermit felt too disorganized to pack much of a punch. For such a ripe and unique story, the exploration felt conventional and surface-level. Thoughtful discussion of the reasons why someone would choose to live a life of isolation felt too rare. Several times, the film seemed to be building up to a thoughtful assessment of even one part of the story, but time and time again it failed to produce a conclusion. Some interviews with townspeople focused on the way Christopher Knight looked in his mug shot, which was never shown. I respect the filmmaker's choice not to show the photo if the choice centered on Christopher Knight's request for some level of visual anonymity, but the focus on his appearance in a mug shot should accordingly be of less focus. It wasn't.
The only really intriguing parts of the film were the interviews with the townspeople; thankfully, those were a large focus, but unfortunately they were delivered in a piecemeal fashion that diminished their impact. The film often felt torn between conveying every single thought the townspeople had about the man and constructing a thoughtful discussion around his choices and their impact; sadly, the film leaned much more towards the latter than the former. It felt like it built up a few different thoughts to about 60%, leaving everything just under par.
I walked away knowing more about the divisive opinions within the community, but I knew those likely existed prior to seeing the film. Director Lena Friendrich definitely picked a fantastic story to cover, but I'm not sure this version is the best one. Maybe wait for a second cut.
Grade: C
Unfortunately, The Hermit felt too disorganized to pack much of a punch. For such a ripe and unique story, the exploration felt conventional and surface-level. Thoughtful discussion of the reasons why someone would choose to live a life of isolation felt too rare. Several times, the film seemed to be building up to a thoughtful assessment of even one part of the story, but time and time again it failed to produce a conclusion. Some interviews with townspeople focused on the way Christopher Knight looked in his mug shot, which was never shown. I respect the filmmaker's choice not to show the photo if the choice centered on Christopher Knight's request for some level of visual anonymity, but the focus on his appearance in a mug shot should accordingly be of less focus. It wasn't.
The only really intriguing parts of the film were the interviews with the townspeople; thankfully, those were a large focus, but unfortunately they were delivered in a piecemeal fashion that diminished their impact. The film often felt torn between conveying every single thought the townspeople had about the man and constructing a thoughtful discussion around his choices and their impact; sadly, the film leaned much more towards the latter than the former. It felt like it built up a few different thoughts to about 60%, leaving everything just under par.
I walked away knowing more about the divisive opinions within the community, but I knew those likely existed prior to seeing the film. Director Lena Friendrich definitely picked a fantastic story to cover, but I'm not sure this version is the best one. Maybe wait for a second cut.
Grade: C
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