Reviews

An Unreasonable Man

Epic documentary on the life of Ralph Nader

By PAUL BABIN | February 7, 2007

3.0 Stars

MARRIED TO GM?: An Unreasonable Man

If you’ve grown tired of the hysterical one-note demagoguery of Michael Moore’s documentaries, then An Unreasonable Man may seem a welcome relief. This sprawling two-hour portrait of the political life of Ralph Nader maps his journey from General Motors’ most feared rabble rouser to presidential candidate in such intricate detail that it feels epic in scope. Henriette Mantel and Steve Skrovan convey their affection for Nader’s causes without stooping to shallow rhetoric. His triumphs over the auto industry as well as his controversial 2004 presidential candidacy are presented in all their rawness. If Nader the man seems dwarfed by his own agenda (something critics may interpret as a flaw), that’s only because he lives to enforce it. As he jokingly replies to a question about his family life, “I don’t have any children. I’m married to General Motors.”

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DUCK | August 22, 2007
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STEEL CITY | June 06, 2007
Brian Jun’s film owes more to the family values of the Reagan era than its anarchic characters and hardscrabble style would indicate.

THE BOYS AND GIRLS GUIDE TO GETTING DOWN | March 28, 2007
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AN UNREASONABLE MAN | February 07, 2007
If you’ve grown tired of the hysterical one-note demagoguery of Michael Moore’s documentaries, then An Unreasonable Man may seem a welcome relief.

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