Man on Wire (2008)

This post is to encourage you: do not hesitate. When the chance arises, watch this film.
This film is about a dude who walked on a high wire between the Twin Towers in NYC back in the 70s. It’s one a lot of people have been talking about, and it has been universally praised. I’m joining in that chorus of good words. And I say this knowing that the overwhelming thumbs-up completely failed to motivate me to watch this film. It was Cal who brought it home to watch when she wasn’t feeling well, and only then did I realize how true the positive word had been.
I was talking about it afterwards (the thing about this film is that you have to talk about it afterwards, it’s hard not to) and the person I was talking too wondered how such a thing could be done; how you could move from the roof of the tallest building in the world, to shift your weight on to a wire above empty space. How could you possibly take that first step?
The first step is talked about vividly in the film – the wire-walker remembers it very clearly. But the bigger question of how he could take that step, he doesn’t address, in fact none of those involved do, not outright. But this question animates the film. Everything you see and hear contributes to a comprehensive answer. By the end, you understand exactly how he could take that step; in fact, you realize that there’s no way he could not.
So: seek this fillum out and give it a good, solid watch. It’s hilarious and hair-raising and it will hook you. It’s great. And afterwards you’ll want to talk about it.