Film Review: Excellent ‘Louder Than a Bomb’ Begins First Chicago Run

Submitted by BrianTT on February 3, 2011 - 4:07pm

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Rating: 5.0/5.0

CHICAGO – As pundits continue to debate the Academy’s choices for the Best Documentary of 2010, one of the most purely enjoyable that I saw last year is opening at the Siskel Film Center for its first Chicago run since the Chicago International Film Festival last October. “Louder Than a Bomb” is the most enjoyable and inspiring film you could see in a theater over the next week. Don’t miss it.

Directors Greg Jacobs and Jon Siskel tracked four teams of Chicago high school poets competing in a local poetry slam and turned it into a documentary about creativity, passion, and learning to turn your imagination into an art form. Being at least adjacent to the creative world my whole life as an English major, theatre minor, and, of course, film lover, I’ve always been a sucker for documentaries that convey the importance and power of individual artistic expression. “Louder Than a Bomb” is one of the best.

Read Brian Tallerico’s full review of “Louder Than a Bomb” in our reviews section.

The directors captured a variety of poetic styles in their days with the teams. Some have a lyrical, more commonly poetic approach, while others are closer to rap, and even others sound almost like preachers. Ultimately, the film reminds one that there could be a brilliant talent living just down the street or sitting next to you on the bus or even trapped inside you. Some of the poetry in “Louder Than a Bomb” is among the best I’ve heard or read in years and it’s because it comes straight from the hearts of the kids who wrote and read it. Their expressions of joy, anger, conviction, pain, and love are infectious and mesmerizing.

So, what part to the documentarians play? Is the success of “Louder Than a Bomb” merely being in the right place at the right time? I don’t believe so. It comes down to focus. Not only do they know who to focus on and what pieces to show but they never lose sight of the commonly-repeated mantra of the kids — “The point is not the points, the point is the poetry.” “Louder Than a Bomb” is not a film about winning. It is a film about expression and that’s something much greater.

Continue reading for Brian Tallerico’s full “Louder Than a Bomb” review.

“Louder Than a Bomb” was directed by Greg Jacobs and Jon Siskel. It plays a one-week exclusive run at the Siskel Film Center from February 4th, 2011 to February 10th, 2011. It is not rated and runs 99 minutes. Jacobs, Siskel, and selected poets from the film will be in attendance for audience discussion on Friday and Monday through Thursday at the 8pm screenings and at the Saturday 7:45pm screening and Sunday 5:15pm screening.