Seen at the San Francisco International Film Festival: “California Company Town”
What is it? "Essay film" about small towns in California turned into empty shells by the company's once based there.
How was it? A disappointing example of the chronic blind spot of this otherwise astutely curated festival. Director Lee Anne Schmitt has laced together 76 minutes of pensive, rueful shots of hollowed out buildings and weeded-over lots sandwiched between title cards of each town's name. A scant narration catalogs the sins of each company. Segments are so brief they less resemble arguments than hit jobs.
I am more than sure that many corporations treated thesmall California towns they built like public toilets. I am also more than sure the story of each of them is nuanced in ways Ms. Schmitt overlooks on purpose. After all, why seek wisdom when cheap political points can be scored with idiotic, slop arguments about big mean corporations and their silent victims?
The film festival really should know better than this. "California Company Town" may seem a natural for this event, given geography, political persuasion of attendees and that its already played favorably at the Vancouver Film Festival and The Cal/Arts Center in Los Angeles to name only a few. But, removing the false poetry, what we have here is a scold, a quiet one, yes but just as broad and thoughtless still.
Should I see it? No.