Last night I finally got around to watching The End of Suburbia.
It was fairly uneven in terms of both quality and tone, which at several points got a tad hysterical. I more or less agree with most of what the film’s participants say about our energy dilemma, though I’m slightly more bullish about our prospects (it would be difficult to be less bullish). But I kept trying to envision seeing it through the eyes of my father (a rock-ribbed conservative), and everywhere were unnecessary poison pills. More facts, better quality narration, and fewer heavy-handed filmic flourishes would have worked better, for me anyway.
I would recommend it overall, though — the stuff about the historical development of suburbs is fascinating, and some of the archival footage has to be seen to be believed. And of course, Kunstler and the rest are unsettling. I just wish they wouldn’t resort to hyperbole.
