Reviews

Okay, let's all agree that voicing dialogue for a young ape is sappy. It's something maybe only a Tim Allen can pull off. But once you get into the mood, this movie is a superb tale of hope for a virtually unknown -- and endangered -- member of the ape family.

Following the capture, recovery, and sanctuary life of Beny, a bonobo whose mother was shot by poachers, the movie both moved me and made me laugh, all while enlightening me on the traits that make bonobos special. I think the writers did an excellent job, for the most part, at interpreting the bonobo behaviors, to make it real for viewers. I was bothered that they referred to apes as "monkeys" several times, but that may have been an (ill-advised) effort to relate to an animal that people recognize. (The great apes -- gorillas, chimps, orangutans, and bonobos -- are not monkeys.)

Claudine, the human "mother" who started the sanctuary, is indeed an angel. She is beautiful, and I loved watching the bonobos love her. Apes can tell the difference between friends and frauds, and the beautiful shots of the bonobos playing with her show the strong bonds between them.

This is a lovely movie for children. The producers made a deliberate decision, it appears, to skip over all the bonobo sex stuff, and focus on "hugs." Note, they will have to be old enough to read quickly, because the movie is in French, with English subtitles.

I mean, really, how does one film cover the immensity of water? And how does a person take it all in without feeling water-boarded? Last Call at the Oasis figured it out. The film gives just enough information on a range of subjects and uses down-to-earth people who make the issues understandable. I didn't drown in scientific garble! I especially appreciated the Tyrone Hayes' segment on atrazine, a herbicide that has been in the Cornbelt's water (and Midwestern bodies) for decades.

I would have given this a 10-star rating, but I think they spent too much time in stargazing at Erin Brokovich. They could have spent some of that time bringing in an expert from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration who could explain more about storm surge and how we need to prepare for water's destructive forces.

I wish I left the theater more optimistic than when I went in, but I guess filmmakers can't produce miracles. Only truth.