Thrilling and Just Plain Nuts
WOSU Film Critics Rico and Joyce Long Review "Man on Wire."

by Rico and Joyce Long

RICO LONG GIVES "MAN ON WIRE" 3 1/2 STARS
*** 1/2

This documentary is about Frenchman Phillipe Petit's daring high wire attempt to cross between New York's twin towers in 1974. His obsession called to mind Timothy Treadwell's ill fated fascination with the Grizzly Bears film which was released in 2005.

Petit had a crew of accomplished co-conspirators which was necessary to pull off his feat. He balanced on the wire for almost an hour, but the challenge of getting his rigging up to and across the gap between the two buildings.

It is just an amazing feat! Sometimes described as the "artistic crime of the century". Little argument there.

One can't help believe that both Treadwell and Petit were simply nuts.

This doc attests to the fact of Petit, in particular.


JOYCE LONG GIVES "MAN ON WIRE" 3 STARS
***

I found this a most unusual film, to say the least. Unusual in its treatment as a documentary. I saw it knowing absolutely nothing about it and couldn't figure out in the introduction what they were referring to. It took awhile to figure out it was indeed a doc about high wire exploits.

The format is clever, treating the dreamed of challenge as a comedy, introducing the somewhat peculiar crew of conspirators as if they all were part of a comedic band of players. And they were often quite funny.

Phillipe is quite a bizarre but likable character. He tells the story as it happened in the early 70's and the scenes go back and forth, back and forth until you're practically dizzy.

Another interesting aspect is that some of the 70's scenes are reconstructions, with actors who looks amazingly like the authentic crew.

Though somewhat confusing, it is quite entertaining.



FILM: "Man on Wire"
DIRECTOR: James Marsh
CAST INCLUDES: Philippe Petit, Annie Allix, Jean-Louis Blondeau, Jean-Francois Heckel
GENRE: Documentary
RUNNING TIME: 94 minutes
RATED: PG-13

WOSU Film Critics Joyce and Rico Long can be heard Fridays at 12:35pm during NPR's "Day To Day" on WOSU 820.

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