GIVE A DAMN? – SLIFF Review

GIVE A DAMN? was originally reviewed during the St. Louis Filmmaker’s Showcase.

As the wealthiest nation in the world, it’s difficult to define exactly what our role as individuals to the poorest nations in the world should be. To a great extent, this is a decision that has to be made by the individual. Keep this thought in your mind while watching GIVE A DAMN? Native Saint Louisan Dan Parris did while making the film, the title of which is a question, not a statement.

Parris, an average guy with what might be called an average devotion to his faith, made a decision to experience poverty and hunger, so that he could better understand exactly what his place can and potentially should be in the fight against the epidemic. However, as any wise person would do, he decided not to take on this adventure alone.

Dan enlists his friend Rob Lehr, a former minister who has lost his faith and become a rather pessimistic and angry atheist. Rob is reluctant, bitter about the very idea of considering he is somehow responsible for the lives of impoverished people in a country far from his own, but he chooses to join Dan anyway, if nothing else, for the first-hand experience of seeing true poverty for himself.

Dan is grateful for Rob’s participation, but needs a spiritual companion. He approaches his friend David Peterka, a devout Christian and a free-spirited wild card. David could be described as the unknown Christian member of the JACKASS films that’s high on life and open to just about anything adventurous. Immediately, it becomes apparent that Rob and David would not always see eye to eye, adding an additional layer of depth to the story.

And, so the journey begins. Dan, along with Rob and David, his own personal devil and angel on his shoulders, begin in Saint Louis and set out to hitchhike across the Unites States, Europe, and finally end up in Kenya, all on only $1.25 per day for food, lodging and transportation. Needless-to-say, this plan is not without its inevitable hiccups. Relative to the entire experience, their time in the United States is a cakewalk, compared to their time in Africa.

Let’s jump ahead a bit, progressing in the film to roughly the halfway point. This is when things get serious, and the story becomes truly compelling. Up to this point, we’ve been primarily focused on the physical journey, but when Dan and Rob barely survive a deadly plane crash in the African slums, the film splits into two parallel stories. Dan sustains injuries serious enough that force him to return to the United States, creating a secondary story arc, as David and another friend continue on their quest to live on $1.25 a day in Africa. This is where the heart and soul of the film emerges, grabs hold of the viewer and makes its most significant impact.

The cast and crew are literally one and the same, in true indie fashion, giving the story a very personal touch. While the film is technically still a work in progress at the time of this screening, it doesn’t feel incomplete. The story is well structured, just non-linear enough to add anticipation and lock in the viewer’s interest. The beginning of the film does feel a bit more like a television documentary series, but this quickly subsides. The only thing I can honestly pick out, as needing improvement in the film, are select areas where the audio could be tweaked, but the film is otherwise extremely satisfying.

Of course GIVE A DAMN? has visually emotional footage. How could it not contain some imagery, given the subject matter? One of the things the film has working in it’s favor is Parris’ conscious decision not to approach the project in a preachy fashion. Viewing the film never feels like a sermon, never feels like a non-profit infomercial, but more importantly throws varying points-of-view out into the open for the viewer to collect, sort, analyze and use for making their own decision. Yes, there are moments when God and religion take on a slightly more prevalent role, but rarely in such a direct and matter-of-fact fashion that may turn portions of the audience off. In this way, the film succeeds not only in promoting their cause, but also in calling out those who claim to support the cause.

When considering the scale of the experiment, taken on by three guys with virtually no budget and even less understanding of what they’re getting into, GIVE A DAMN? is a tremendous accomplishment. As harsh as this may sound on the surface, I believe the tragic plane crash may have actually been a blessing in disguise, despite the loss of two lives in the process. I do not wish to put words in the mouths of the filmmakers, but I can imagine they would agree with this statement, on some level. I know the film will have a lasting impression on my own outlook on the world. I hope you too will take the time to see the film, and ask yourself if you GIVE A DAMN?