Killing Jimmy Hoffa

On July 30, 1975, former Teamsters leader Jimmy Hoffa was last seen alive outside of a restaurant in suburban Detroit. Forty years later, no conclusive evidence exists regarding who was responsible for Hoffa's disappearance or about the location of his remains. Filmmaker Al Profit traces Hoffa's tumultuous life while also trying to formulate an intelligent theory about the circumstances surrounding his death. While Hoffa's life story has been told several times already, both in documentaries and in the Danny DeVito-directed 1992 film Hoffa starring Jack Nicholson, Killing Jimmy Hoffa manages to keep the story fresh, incorporating rarely seen news footage and photographs within a solid production that keeps the pace moving without becoming sensationalist. Hoffa here emerges as a complex and volatile personality whose clashes with organized crime, the Kennedy administration, and his fellow Teamster officers—as well as a surprise pardon from President Nixon when Hoffa had barely served half of a 13-year prison sentence for attempted bribery—marked some of the most interesting history of the post-World War II labor union movement. The documentary offers some speculation on a few rather extreme theories, most notably Hoffa's possible involvement in President Kennedy's assassination, while also exploring notions on how and where Hoffa was killed that are sure to spark vigorous debate. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)