This is very dramatic and satisfying film on a character level in a way that When The Levees Broke, as good as it was, was not. I always prefer documentaries that are character driven. "Water" gives you a window into a world that usually is hermetically sealed from the rest of society, and humanizes the "ghetto" in a way I've never seen before. You really get to know the couple and you sympathize with them, even though they are far from what most people would call upstanding members of society. The world they come from is usually overlooked or glamorized in gangster films, but because Kim (the wife) did the filming of her community during the hurricane, it is authentic. It really is a testament to how technology (in this case, the amateur video camera) has democratized society and what is possible when the voiceless find their voice. It's the antidote to "Hustle and Flow" in EVERY way. When Kim raps, it comes at a devastating moment in the film and she has your full attention, and you identify with every word, and you totally understand why she is the way she is, and why rap can be such powerful poetry. It's not just some soundtrack. Musically, the film is great on many levels -- the score, and the other songs chosen.
Review of Trouble the Water
