KING CORN
Their Field of Dreams Is Corn-fed, Corn-raised and Corn-haired, But Never Corny
The PopCORNreel.com Movie Review: "King Corn"
By Omar P.L. Moore/November 2, 2007
Say Corn, not Cheese! Ian Cheney (left) and Curt Ellis, co-producers and
stars of Aaron Woolf's documentary "King Corn", which opened in San Francisco
and Berkeley and other selected cities today, while continuing in New York and
other U.S. cities. (Photo: Sam Cullman)
Aaron Woolf's documentary "King Corn" is a revelation.
It mixes detective story, humor, fascinating food facts and staggering truths
with family history and intimate anecdotes in a highly entertaining way, while
never pounding you with the opining that throttles some documentaries. Mr.
Woolf tracks the exploits of Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis (who is the cousin of Mr.
Woolf), best friends since their college days at Yale, who move from Boston to
Greene, Iowa to embark on a project: to grow corn on an acre of land they rent,
and then see where the corn goes from there. Mr. Cheney and Mr. Ellis,
whose camaraderie transfers very well on the big screen, find out a lot about
what happens to corn in its journey into foods everywhere, and the audience
learns as they do. There are experiments, there are stunning stories about
corn's pervasive presence, whether in corn syrups, starches or fast foods,
chocolate chip cookies, soda, juices, and lots, lots more.
Mr. Woolf's film is well-timed in its release today in San Francisco and
Berkeley, California, as well as in several other U.S. cities (the film has been
already playing in New York City), as next week, the debate in the U.S. Congress
on the 2007 Farm Bill will take place -- an important piece of legislation that
rolls around every seven years -- legislation that affects what Americans eat
and what food their tax dollars subsidizes, and the kind of food those dollars
subsidize, food consumed every day at the American dinner table. (One fact
in the film's production notes mentions that "King Corn" is significant in
numerous ways, not least because it is a journey of discovery. Mr. Cheney
and Mr. Ellis aren't looking for buried treasure on their travels, they merely
want to know what made the junk food they adored so much growing up taste so
good. The film doesn't disturb or turn the viewer off, although there are
one or two very brief shots that will lightly sting the sensibilities of some in
the audience. This aside, "King Corn" contains light-hearted interviews
with townsfolk from Iowa, and there is an especially effective sequence about
farmers who have been accepting subsidies by the U.S. government for their
growth of corn on their farms -- and even these farmers are becoming
disillusioned with the process and the payments they receive. This is one
of the most interesting points of the documentary. Another segment
contains an interview with Leo Butz, corn magnate and businessman, and it is a
quietly moving piece.
"King Corn" is not just about facts and figures. It is a
road movie, a modest film that conversely achieves a wide scope as the two
intrepid travelers Cheney and Ellis interview subjects in Omaha, Iowa, New York
and other venues across the United States. "King Corn" has a tone that is
sunny and light, even when there are subtle changes in its direction and depth.
You will barely notice the change in the voices of Mr. Cheney and Mr. Ellis, who
narrate the documentary as well, even as the subject matter delves to the nub of
the corn cob, every pun intended. Aaron Woolf has accomplished a lot here,
and you will leave the theater feeling informed, entertained and looking more
closely at the ingredients on the backs of the foods that you buy from now on.
Thanks to the creators of "King Corn", you may even have a smile on your face
when doing so.
"King Corn" is not rated by the Motion Picture Association
of America. There is a quick shot or two that may cause ever so brief and
mild discomfort, but certainly nothing that will repulse or gross out an
audience. "King Corn", which opened today in San Francisco, Berkeley and
other additional cities, clocks in at a light and fluffy one hour and 28
minutes.
Copyright The Popcorn Reel. PopcornReel.com. 2007. All Rights Reserved.