An Unreasonable Man

Henriette Mantel and Steve Skrovan's documentary profile of Ralph Nader achieves the remarkable effect of making the viewer admire a man who's rather obnoxious. Those who dismiss Nader as an arrogant kook may be led to reconsider their views in light of the undeniable service that Nader has given to the country over the years. But those who revere Nader, and maybe even voted for him in recent presidential elections, might end up wondering whether he's done more harm than good to the political process. By presenting both sides, An Unreasonable Man does justice to an important if controversial figure, making effective use of archival footage and interviews—with past allies, critics, and Nader himself—to cover the activist's life. Beginning with his Connecticut boyhood and Harvard Law days, the film notes that Nader's concern for a friend who was seriously injured in a car crash led him to become a crusader against poorly designed autos. His landmark 1965 book Unsafe at Any Speed not only cast Nader as a David bravely battling against corrupt corporate Goliaths, but also led to the formation of “Nader's Raiders,” a group of volunteer investigators looking into all sorts of consumer-advocacy issues. Disillusionment with the political process ultimately led Nader to undertake his third-party presidential campaigns, for which some—including friends—have labeled him an egomaniacal spoiler. A telling portrait of a self-righteous man who sees himself as the champion of the little guy, this is recommended. [Note: DVD extras on this two-disc set include the 34-minute documentary “Profile of a Charismatic Leader,” seven deleted scenes (30 min.), and featurettes including “Debating the Role of Third Parties in the U.S.” (28 min.), “A Debate on Corporate Power in America” (13 min.), “What Kind of President Would Ralph Nader Be?” (11 min.), “What Happened to the Democratic Party?” (9 min.), “Why is the Right Better Organized than the Left?” (7 min.), and “Ralph Nader on the Iraq War” (7 min.). Bottom line: a fine extras package for a solid profile.] (F. Swietek)