Where's Jimmy Hoffa?

Jimmy Hoffa, the longtime leader of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, was last seen getting into a car in the parking lot of a suburban Detroit restaurant on July 30, 1975. To this day, his exact fate remains unknown. Hoffa's tumultuous and controversial life is the subject of this no-frills documentary, which traces his unlikely rise from Kroger grocery store employee during the Depression to his polarizing role as one of America's most powerful labor leaders. Where's Jimmy Hoffa? covers all of the peaks and valleys of Hoffa's life, revealing a man who seemed to be both sharp and careless, gifted with amazing organization skills, but repeatedly surrounding himself with people who inevitably disappointed or betrayed him. The film spends a significant amount of time speculating on what became of Hoffa's remains—without conclusive results—and the filmmakers turn to former Teamster associates, journalists, and assorted biographers to flesh out the story. Unfortunately, most of these interviews are badly shot, with flat lighting and unflattering camerawork that make the production look amateurish. Still, given the popularity of the subject (although the parlor guessing game aspect has faded over time), this is a strong optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)