I Am Greta

A top-tier documentary, I Am Greta details Greta Thunberg’s ascension from a lone climate-change protestor into a world-renown activist with a following in the tens of thousands. Filmmaker Nathan Grossman delivers a compelling and unexpectedly intimate endeavor that begins before anyone had heard of Thunberg, and it’s clear, certainly, that the movie benefits from its up-close-and-personal portrait of its exceedingly compelling subject – as Grossman spends time with the socially-conscious 15-year-old in her personal life and among her family members. (The emphasis is placed on Thunberg’s amusing relationship with her patient yet exasperated father.) It’s mostly fascinating stuff that effectively humanizes a decidedly polarizing figure, as Grossman peppers the proceedings with a handful of low-key, down-to-earth interludes – including a hilarious scene in which Thunberg’s dad essentially forces her to eat a banana. There’s little doubt, though, that I Am Greta‘s biggest draw is its behind-the-scenes perspective of Thunberg’s most famous encounters and speeches, as the picture follows Thunberg as she meets countless world leaders and prepares (and delivers) a series of addresses to thousands of people (and politicians). The movie’s climactic stretch, which details Greta’s arduous journey across the Atlantic ocean to attend two UN climate summits, ensures that I Am Greta concludes on a poignant, powerful note, with the end result a better-than-average documentary that offers an irresistible peek into the life of a thoroughly selfless individual.

*** out of ****