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Review: Crude

Quietly compelling
By BRETT MICHEL  |  August 10, 2009
3.0 3.0 Stars

090317_crude_main

Joe Berlinger hit bottom with 2000's Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2. Now, after years of working in TV, he returns with a documentary that follows through on the promise of 1992's Brother's Keeper. Few will be familiar with the plight of the 30,000 Ecuadorians who filed a class-action lawsuit in the US against Texaco in 1993, but Berlinger paints a vivid portrait of the Amazonians who've suffered 30 years of what they maintain to be cancer-causing oil spills in their water supply. When Chevron merged with Texaco, in 2001, they succeeded in moving the case to Ecuador, where the trial is now under way. Although American lawyer and publicity hound Steven Donziger attracts the likes of Trudie Styler, it's Pablo Fajardo who quietly compels as the David who's taking on Goliath.

BRATTLE THEATRE: APRIL 25 at NOON

Related: Review: Pontypool, Review: Shooting Beauty, Review: That Evening Sun, More more >
  Topics: Reviews , Health and Fitness, Medicine, Trials,  More more >
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ARTICLES BY BRETT MICHEL
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 See all articles by: BRETT MICHEL

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