The Greater Good

Directed by Kendall Nelson and Chris Pilaro, The Greater Good looks at the often highly emotional pro- and anti-vaccine movements, focusing heavily on activists and doctors who want stronger safety standards for vaccinations. The film serves up profiles of three families with children who were adversely affected by vaccinations: a cheerleader who becomes ill after an HPV vaccine; a boy who is autistic, supposedly due to vaccinations; and a baby who dies after her second round of injections. Although these cases effectively raise questions about the safety of vaccines, the presentation occasionally feels emotionally manipulative. But this is offset somewhat by the wide-ranging opinions expressed in interviews with doctors, a vaccine education activist, and a drug company executive, all of whom agree that some sort of vaccination system is necessary in order to ward off once common diseases such as polio and to preserve so-called herd immunity. While the goal of the documentary is clearly to encourage more research in order to ensure that the vaccination process is safe for everyone, it does also consider the viewpoints of those who do not believe the system needs to change. Brief animated sequences and title cards featuring statistics about different aspects of vaccination help to provide context and greater clarity in this ultimately thought-provoking film. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Cruver)