Dumbstruck

Mark Goffman's aptly named documentary profiles five ventriloquists. Terry Fator, a skillful artist with a well-honed act, wins a major prize on TV's America's Got Talent before taking Vegas by storm. Dan Horn's also eking out a decent living, although his job on cruise ships requires long absences that ultimately lead to a divorce. By contrast, Kim Yeager is a struggling newcomer trying to land a real job, while Cincinnati teen Dylan Burdette—a shy kid whose halting performances with his African-American dummy suggest he's not ready for prime time—tries to interest a local talent company. On another level entirely is Wilma Swartz, a tall, eccentric older woman whose obsession with ventriloquism, she says, caused her family to turn against her. At one point her finances are so bad that she's on the verge of losing her house and must appeal to her fellow performers for donations. While there's obviously more to be said about Wilma, Goffman doesn't really investigate; rather, he's primarily interested in celebrating the quintet profiled here, while also documenting their camaraderie. Granted, this type of nonfiction production need not be hard-hitting, but Dumbstruck seems to deliberately sidestep potentially awkward or troublesome areas. Still, the subjects make an interesting bunch, and Goffman's tribute to their avocation is consistently engaging. Recommended. (F. Swietek)