The Interrupters - Movie Review

I attend an annual film festival (Full Frame Festival), which features dozens of carefully selected documentaries from a wide range of genres. The festival lasts four days, with a half dozen films running almost continually during the daytime. One of the standout films at the 2011 Full Frame Festival was a documentary about an organization known as Ceasefire and their operations in Chicago, Illinois. The film is titled The Interrupters. I worked in the Chicago area for nearly a decade, attempting to help staunch the rising tide of violence, so this film connected with me on many levels.

The Interrupters was filmed by Steve James (Kartemquin Films), who had done several documentaries. Notable among them was the 1994 award winning Hoop Dreams. Karemquin Films is based in Chicago, which provides a great setting for a documentary on violence and intervention. The film was put together over the course of one year. The violence in Chicago was much like it was during the time I worked there. There was one notable incident that made national news during the course of the film involving a High School student (Derrion Albert) who was beaten to death by other students. The film follows three members of an organization called Ceasefire, who work intimately with street gangs to reduce retaliatory violence.

James introduces us to Ceasefire. The organization was founded by Dr. Gary Slutkin, who worked extensively overseas. Dr. Slutkin views violence as an infectious disease. As with any infectious disease, the primary method for slowing the spread is by changing behavior rather than treatment. The concept is to work closely with the community to identify hot spots and then intervene. Slutkin has a wealth of knowledge and street cred on his payroll. His interventionists include Ameena Matthews, the daughter of El Rukn founder Jeff Fort. Ameena was a gang enforcer herself before she left the lifestyle after getting shot. The incident set Ameena on a new course, which allows her the unique ability to get close to gang members and give them straight talk regarding their own motives and the cycle of violence.

Cobe Williams is a younger member of Ceasefire, whose street savvy allows him easier access to information and potential violence. Cobe has an interesting charm that is, in itself, disarming. His patience may be a product of his own struggles in and out of prison. Cobe’s interactions were among my favorite. He mentors a young juvenile who has chosen to turn his life around. This leads to an amazing confrontation with his victims, where the young man takes responsibility for his actions and is freed from his own bondage through his willingness to engage in dialogue. The situation is tense but effective. Cobe also intervenes in a family that highlights the violence with poignancy. Two brothers, who are members of different sets, have created so much turmoil at home, their mother has had to move out. Cobe questions his own judgment when he brings the trio together to encourage bonding and resolution. While the struggles are intense, Cobe’s patience pays off.

My favorite interaction was between Cobe and an individual named “Flamo.” Cobe maintains a reassuring calm while dealing with an individual who seems to be off his meds. We meet Flamo at his front door, where his first gesture is to yell into his cell phone before throwing it into the snow. Flamo’s reactions to Cobe are like a roller coaster ride. One minute he is up and the next he is down. When Cobe mentions going to grab something to eat and chat, Flamo responds by asking “when? Right now? Hold up, I gotta put away my pistol.” Flamo provided some comic relief with his quick wit, which disguises itself as a short temper. He eventually lands a job, with Cobe’s help.

The final worker highlighted in this documentary is a former gang leader named Eddie Bocanegra. When Eddie was seventeen, he committed a murder at point blank range. The murder seems to have created a lasting impression on Eddie, who seems to find some peace in the work he does. Eddie speaks candidly about his own activities and regrets. On the anniversary of the murder he committed, Eddie makes a special effort to meet with families hurt by violence. It is Eddie’ way of grieving his own actions. While he admits he would eventually like to confront the family of his victim, he feels it is still not time. Eddie works with younger students in violence ravaged neighborhoods and helps them deal with their own concerns through art.

The approach to the subject matter is blunt. The Interrupters gets rare access inside gang violence. Ceasefire has made a positive impact on the communities where it is active. They tout the violence statistics compiled by the DOJ as proof of their positive influence. The documentary also doesn’t candy coat the reality of dealing with former gang members and convicts to deploy intervention. There is a scene where the manager announces that five members of the organization have active police investigations. The issue of police was my only sticking point, in that the police were deemed ineffective, scared and a variety of other complaints. The truth is, the police have to work within obvious constraints. The police also make a difference in these communities. To undermine their achievements and dedication seems counter-intuitive. There is a common objective to be recognized. While violence can be treated like a disease through changes in behavior, quarantine is another effective measure against disease. Prosecuting and incarcerating the violent individuals in society is part of the solution which should not be written off the way it seemed to be in the documentary.

The Interrupters is two and a half hours long. That is a long time to sit through any film, especially a documentary. In all fairness, Steve James had three hundred hours of footage to sift through for the final product. But I admit I did check my watch several times during the film. A few more cuts may have brought the film down to an acceptable time frame. It was definitely too long. I enjoyed The Interrupters for many reasons. The film was well organized, the subjects were artfully captured and did not seem to be playing to the cameras, and the subject matter was intriguing. Ceasefire engages in intervention. The interactions are often tense and certainly dangerous. It is a good program, but is manpower intensive. The cycle of violence has to be broken somehow, but with this type of resource, it seems impossible to duplicate on a widespread scale. It is great that Ceasefire has made a positive impact on the communities where they are active. The intimate examination of the topic brought the material home in a personal way that made this documentary relevant. While it was way too long, it was an excellent film. 8/10.