2nd Chance

This excellent film is primarily the biography of a very odd man who was a giant in the specialty business of designing, manufacturing, and promoting body armor for police and military forces. But the film also deftly addresses the hubris of business management and promotion coupled with the vital importance of the products produced, which, if they work properly, save lives and which, if they don't, have deadly consequences. The filmmaker treats his subjects with great respect and compassion while leaving no questions un-asked. The film is very funny in spots, given the oddball main character's deadpan responses and homemade promotional videos, and heartbreaking in others. The tests of a great documentary, in my view, are whether the subject is consistently compelling, no matter how obscure, and whether I leave the theater with issues I believe have been minimized or ignored by the filmmakers, whether due to poor editing, poor preparation, lack of follow-up, bias, or cowardice This film is both compelling and complete. Well done.

This excellent film is primarily the biography of a very odd man who was a giant in the specialty business of designing, manufacturing, and promoting body armor for police and military forces. But the film also deftly addresses the hubris of business management and promotion coupled with the vital importance of the products produced, which, if they work properly, save lives and which, if they don't, have deadly consequences. The filmmaker treats his subjects with great respect and compassion while leaving no questions un-asked. The film is very funny in spots, given the oddball main character's deadpan responses and homemade promotional videos, and heartbreaking in others. The tests of a great documentary, in my view, are whether the subject is consistently compelling, no matter how obscure, and whether I leave the theater with issues I believe have been minimized or ignored by the filmmakers, whether due to poor editing, poor preparation, lack of follow-up, bias, or cowardice This film is both compelling and complete. Well done.