Pull of Gravity

The “gravity” in the title of this documentary relates to recidivism, as many released prisoners soon find themselves incarcerated again after a failed attempt to return to society. The film focuses on three Philadelphia men struggling to reboot their lives after years of criminal activity and time behind bars. El Sawyer, one of the men in the spotlight, shares director credit with Jon Kaufman. In many ways, the odds are stacked against these men: 67 percent of released ex-offenders wind up back in prison within three years, creating a never-ending loop in which career criminals become career convicts. All three men share very similar problems: a tumultuous upbringing in poverty-stricken neighborhoods, minimal education and no marketable skills, and networks of friends who offer the worst possible camaraderie (many having also served time in prison). The family members, peers, and parole officers of the spotlighted subjects are interviewed, but no one seems to be deeply concerned with scope of the problem, and even the three men seem fairly lackadaisical about their respective crises, rarely showing any great remorse for their actions. Pull of Gravity was obviously created with the best of intentions—clearly, a solution needs to be found for the recidivism revolving door—but it's hard to feel much sympathy for the irresponsible individuals profiled here. Optional. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)