Call to action by eco-documentary
A forward-thinking take on addressing the demise of the human race, the French documentary “Tomorrow” swaps the usual handwringing doomsday prophesizing in favor of a decidedly more proactive approach.
Rattled by an ominous report by Bay Area professors Elizabeth Hadly and Anthony Barnosky warning of the realities of a tipping point concerning the state of the ecosystem, actress Mélanie Laurent and activist Cyril Dion rolled up their sleeves and grappled with a way to share their concerns with a world “already fed up with catastrophes.”
The solution was to embark on a globe-trotting mission to find creative solutions to pressing environmental issues, from Detroit’s burgeoning urban farms to Copenhagen, well on its way to becoming the first carbon-neutral city.
Although the film, which won France’s César award for documentary, allows too many of its talking heads to drone on after their valid points are made, while displaying a weakness for twee pop ditties that continually — and distractingly — spring up on the soundtrack, its Earth Day weekend arrival certainly couldn’t be more timely.
Given the current U.S. administration’s position on climate science, Laurent and Dion’s passionate, offthe-beaten-path primer advocates thinking globally but acting locally with community-driven, grassroots alternatives that aren’t affected by executive orders. “Tomorrow.” In English and French with English subtitles. Not rated. Running time: 2 hours. Playing: Laemmle Music Hall, Beverly Hills.