Is anybody really in the mood to watch another documentary about how divided the American people have become? How we lack empathy and compassion? How billionaires who run Fox News and Facebook are making a fortune off our hate? How the economy is working only for the one-percent? And so on and so on. One can be forgiven for wanting a break from our collective anguish and finger-pointing. Indeed, Stars and Strife is more of the same, but it is focused on solutions, not just familiar problems. It also presents an array of stellar voices from worlds of activism, politics (from both sides of the political divide), academia, and business. Finally, it is surprisingly playful as a documentary about such a grave subject, underscoring points made in conversation with quick, mostly comic clips from classic movies.
The latter does help dispel some of the gloom left behind by experts bemoaning our sorry state as a society. It is good to hear from Hawk Newsome, the national leader of Black Lives Matter; major players from governments past, such as James Baker, Leon Panetta, and Rahm Emmanuel; political scientist and economist Francis Fukuyama; and a business leader such as Home Depot founder Ken Langone. Writer-director David Smick, a macroeconomics adviser and author, explores the scourge of hate that has left us unable to find common ground, and dissuaded politicians from seeking bipartisan solutions to national problems.
There are strong scenes in here, including a lengthy interview with Derek Black, godson of Ku Klux Klan grand wizard David Duke. Black discusses being groomed all his life to take over Duke’s leadership of the Klan one day, and how he renounced such racism in young adulthood. In the end, Stars and Strife is somewhat restorative for a weary U.S. soul, perhaps just enough to get us through a few days or weeks in our season of madness. Strongly recommended. Aud: I, J, H, C, P