The Great Everything & the Nothing

What first appears to be a low-budget, high-school-student quality-DIY film about a guy having a bad day, quickly transforms into one of the greatest films I've ever seen in my life. And I'm sure anyone who's seen this film feels exactly the same! The films layout becomes a collage of narration and footage, complimenting each other in a comical, harrowing and shocking fashion. From the stress of everyday jobs, to the malnourished and war-torn, this film approaches every problem we face as human beings and rips apart the facade that the solutions are complex and even unknown. It truly is an injection of common-sense, and it makes you question everything about the way you live your life, whilst re-affirming you that we can change it whenever we want. The overall theme running throughout the film is that we are ALL sitting on a technological and perceptual goldmine. To tap into it, we need only tap into ourselves. For me, this is the most important film ever made, and it had a budget of £0! However, the price tag for how much the creativity, thought, analysis and love that went into this film cost, is more than any sum we can comprehend. 'A must-see for anyone currently in human form', to quote the films apt synopsis.

OK so to start, I will warn anyone who is a film critic to suspend their egos for a bit and listen to the message. The film is amateur (to be kind) on the editing front, but what is beautiful is that you quickly get swept up into its world and forget about that fact. I studied film production and am well versed in its conventions, and couldn't care less.

The film is essentially a series of clips from other documentaries sewn together with a perfect 'bigger picture' perspective, which is key in understanding the world's crises. The clip selection is very good, and provides the viewer with a good amount of depth on each topic.

What is wonderful about this perspective, though, is the conclusion it draws. Instead of leaving you with a feeling of doom and gloom (which many documentaries on similar subjects have the habit of doing), the viewer comes away with a profound sense of hope and optimism, which is essential in making this positive vision of the future a reality.

The narrator's language is accessible, informed and beautiful, a difficult balance to achieve. The script is worded in a conversational and unthreatening manner, which has a very inclusive feel. Anyone can watch this film and not only understand, but also understand WHY they need to understand.

I rated this film 10/10, not because I am emotively biased, but because the message is too important to let any other factors override the impression the film had on me. I knew most of the information provided already, but was still blown away by its comprehensive perspective on the world. I would, and do, highly recommend that every person in the world watches this film, ego aside and joins the movement for a better world for everyone and everything.