 Movie Review
An Inconvenient Truth
Production Company: Paramount Classics
Director: Davis Guggenheim
Cast: Al Gore
Rating: PG for mild thematic elements
By Gregg Tubbs
(UMC.org)—An Inconvenient Truth is the most important film you will see this year. I would love to offer a more original opening for this review, but in good conscience, the only thing I can do is echo what scores of other critics have already said. It is so important that you should take your family, your mom, your boss and that neighbor who hasn’t returned your lawnmower and fill up a whole row. Seeing this movie is important not because of “star” Al Gore, or in spite of him. This film is important because it asks us to believe that global warming is a fact, and that the danger is real and unimaginable. Most importantly, the film asks if we—the human race—can put aside our differences and work together to literally save our planet.
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| An Inconvenient Truth chronicles former vice president Al Gore’s well traveled presentation about global warming—a personal cause since his college days. Copyright © 2006 Paramount Classics |
An Inconvenient Truth chronicles former vice president Al Gore’s well traveled presentation about global warming—a personal cause since his college days. Gore has always championed the environment, but in the years since his unsuccessful White House run, he has dedicated himself almost exclusively to traveling and lecturing on the subject. This film essentially documents Gore giving his presentation, interspersed with cutaways of Gore talking about his personal journey and how he became “a recovering politician” and crusader for a cooler planet.
An Inconvenient Truth succeeds frighteningly well at proving that global warming is real, that we are the cause, and that we can and must make lifestyle changes to reverse the trend. The film takes the issue of global warming—a scientifically complex issue—and makes it understandable to the layperson. Rather than dumbing down the science, the film instead uses vibrant illustrative devices to break the science down into understandable pieces. Once all of the pieces are in place, like a puzzle, we can see and understand the whole horrifying picture: the earth is getting warmer, the weather is getting more severe; and melting polar ice could raise sea levels, uprooting millions of people from coastal areas and radically changing our world for the worse in our lifetimes.
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| One the most persuasive examples of global warming shows how the over-warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico recharged the weakened Hurricane Katrina into a Category 5 killer as it headed for New Orleans. Copyright © 2006 Paramount Classics |
The science is too complicated to go into here, but essentially, carbon dioxide emissions from cars, airplanes, power plants and other sources have thickened the earth’s atmosphere, trapping more of the sun’s heat and raising the temperature of the planet, similar to the way a car heats up on a sunny day when all of the windows are closed. Whereas old mother earth used to be a great big Cadillac with the windows open just a crack, now those windows are closed tight, and if the scientists are right, soon even opening the windows won’t help. Their calculations indicate that we could reach what they call the “tipping point”—a virtual point of no return—within ten years. This is the reason for Gore’s sense of urgency, which he tries to instill in us by using startling examples that will haunt you long after the film’s end. Most persuasive is a sequence that shows how the over-warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico recharged the weakened Hurricane Katrina into a Category 5 killer as it headed for New Orleans. And scientific consensus is that Katrina signals the beginning of the trend of bigger, more deadly storms ahead.
According to the film, the solution is to embrace fuel conservation—creating more fuel-efficient cars, using compact fluorescent lighting, adjusting thermostats and making other lifestyle changes. The catch is that changes like these strike at the very heart of comfortable American consumerism. The issue has also met intense resistance from the oil and auto industry who see conservation as a threat to profits. Change is hard, but the film makes the case that we can make these changes without sacrificing jobs, our security, or our overall way of life.
The film tries hard to stay out of politics. After all, Gore brings a lot of baggage with him. But viewers should try to separate the message from the messenger. Reaching across political and religious lines, Gore himself has sought to reach everyone with his message, presenting this material to both Democrats and Republicans, throughout Europe and China, to Christian groups, and even at the headquarters of Wal-Mart. Gore sees this as a moral issue, not a political one—although it has been politicized. In a surprisingly hopeful way, he asks Americans to rise up and lead the fight to lower carbon dioxide emissions. Gore urges us to join together across political fences and international boundaries to save this planet for the sake of our children. As Christians, we should ask ourselves whether we have a moral obligation to heal the planet God gave us and to spare not only humanity, but also nature, the death and suffering that will follow if we don’t act now. This truth might be “inconvenient,” but let’s pray we don’t let it become fatal.
Gregg Tubbs is a freelance writer living in Columbia, Md.
This review was developed by UMC.org, the official online ministry of The United Methodist Church.
Study Questions
Group Activities
Trapping Heat: For this activity, you will conduct a brief experiment to illustrate global warming. You will need two identical “take out” coffee cups, at least one cup lid, and two thermometers. A single instant-read thermometer can also be used. Fill each cup half full with hot tap water. Adjust the water temperature at the tap until the water temperature reads 90 degrees. Place the lid on one and leave the other uncovered. Make sure there is a small hole in the lid through which the thermometer can be inserted. Take an initial temperature reading of each cup, and then take additional readings at 10-minute intervals. If done correctly, you should see that the covered cup holds more heat, cooling down more slowly than the uncovered cup. As a group, discuss the results of the experiment. Ask members to share what evidence of global warming they may have observed in your area, such as lower water levels in rivers and ponds, droughts, violent storms or hotter summers.
Join the Debate: Global warming is a really hot topic (pun intended). As a group, discuss the issue. Ask your group members to share how they felt before and after seeing the film. Encourage them to share any misgivings they have about the reality of global warming. Do they believe it is a myth? If so, why? What has helped shape their opinions? Religious belief? Politics? Job pressure? Mistrust of science? Do they believe the threat has been “trumped up” by “liberals” and “radical” ecologists? Do they believe Al Gore is politically motivated or that he can’t be trusted? Would they believe the evidence more if someone else, like the President, delivered it? Finally, discuss whether Christians have an obligation to protect the environment.
Environmental Scavenger Hunt: For this activity, have your group break up into small teams. Give each team a writing pad and pen and ask them to spend 15 minutes finding ways to conserve energy in your meeting space or to reduce carbon dioxide in the air. Each team should be able to find at least three ways, but should be encouraged to find more. Ideas might include:
- Replacing incandescent light bulbs with energy efficient compact fluorescents.
- Turning the thermostat down or up.
- Lowering the temperature of the water heater.
- Planting trees outside.
- Properly inflating the tires on everyone’s cars.
For a complete list of ideas, go to www.climatecrisis.net or www.stopglobalwarming.org. When the teams are finished, compare notes and decide, as a group, to make at least one of these changes.
Denominational Statements
Energy Policy Statement
U.S. Energy Policy and United Methodist Responsibility
Environmental Justice for a Sustainable Future
Environmental Stewardship
God's Creation and the Church
Environmental Law -- The Precautionary Principle
Resources
Official An Inconvenient Truth Web site
Green Gospels: Environmental movement aims for religious mainstream
Stop Global Warming.org
Climate Change (UMV)
Evangelical Climate Initiative
Theatrical Trailer
QuickTime
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