Blue Vinyl (2002)

Too much of everything

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

Besides a great subtitle--"the world's first toxic comedy"--Dan Gold and Judith Helfand's documentary combines a family drama (persuading Helfand's parents not to use PVC or polyvinyl chloride siding on their home) with a scathing expose of an industry that has been incredibly successful in literally wrapping a toxic product around millions of people. Toting a sheet of blue vinyl siding from episode to episode, Helfand and Gold provide us with a deft touch of what a great documentary can do- -inform, entertain, and warn. Fans of Michael Moore's documentaries will find this film a welcome addition to the canon of documentaries by committed filmmakers who can tell an important story with verve and analytical skill.

This film, already four years old, (successfully I think) explores the toxic potentiality of only one everyday item. There are scores of other contaminants out there, with the growing problem of e-waste something that will impact on everyone sooner or later. There is even a black market in e-waste disposal that sends discarded high-tech components to the developing world for crude deconstruction. One commentator referred to "Blue Vinyl" as "lefty." Actually, he or she should take note: the filmmaker notes that adult toys might contain carcinogens. This could be a big boost for the right, who generally don't approve of such items: scores of vibrators having to be discarded or recalled.

Being a very environmental and health-oriented individual, I found "Blue Vinyl" to be informative, occasionally moving, and very blunt. The director of this film did not mean to create a stirring, emotional, hammed up documentary full of woe and drama. She sought to make a point which is exactly what she did and she did it very well. The film didn't drag on as some documentaries do, and it was often very humourous and fun. I LOVE the fact that she dragged that piece of blue vinyl around with her everywhere that she went. That just... oh... it made me happy inside. In conclusion... this film made a group of obnoxious, annoying sixth graders sit still and listen, therefore you should watch it and be enlightened as to the ways of the Nazi Vinyl industries. And plant a tree. Trees are a good thing. However... Hitler was a bad thing. Hitler didn't like trees. It's well documented.

Though I did enjoy this movie especially how Judith Helfand went all out to find out information that worried her. However, the only problem I have is that the majority of the people she used for her scientific information were Green Peace scientist.Now, even though these are legitimate researchers, Green Peace has an agenda and they want complete protection of the environment. I feel that this actually hurts her attempt to prove her point. This just makes the movie extremely bias.By talking to these scientist the only thing she does is raise her own anxiety while making her movie a Green Peace Platform thats message will most likely be ignored.My tip, next time stay away from biased scientist all together. Other than that the movie was very good, very well thought out and shot.