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He admits he would have been happy with making comedies like Ace Ventura, The Nutty Professor, and Bruce Almighty for the rest of his career, but a serious accident changed director Tom Shadyac’s outlook on life, enough for him to shoot a documentary to seek out what’s wrong with the world.

As I Am begins it’s not difficult to draw comparisons to Joaquin Phoenix’s fake documentary, I’m Still Here. It has the feel of being a big joke as he muses philosophically over his life as a filmmaker while funny clips from his films are played. A concussion sustained during a bike accident left him with light sensitivity, mood swings, and a constant ringing in his head. Months of unsuccessful treatments made him depressed and ready for death.

Inexplicably, his symptoms subsided and Shadyac became determined to find out what the root problem is to all problems in the world. To answer his questions, he interviewed notable scholars, journalists, religious figures, and others. Initially, his documentary comes across as an elitist, preachy narrative that scolds humanity, particularly Americans, for striving to be number one with whatever it is they want to do in life. The economy is likened to an evil dragon and humans are going to go extinct. Sounds like a lot of fun at the movie theater right?

Shadyac’s gradually makes you take notice as he turns his original question on its head and asks what is right with the world. An enlightening argument is made that the human heart is far more important than what science has been willing to admit over the years. A strong case is also made for how everything in the world is somehow connected and that John Lennon was right when he said that all we need is love.

Shadyac may be a different kind of cat, but with I Am he shows with inspiration that there is a way for us as human beings to become truly connected with everyone and everything around us. If we can do that, he argues, we can indeed make the world overall a better place.

On a letter grade scale from “A” being excellent to “F” for failing, I Am receives a B+.

I Am is unrated and has a running time of 82 minutes.

Now showing through May 12 @
Tivoli Cinemas
Westport Manor Square, 4050 Pennsylvania, KCMO
Visit www.tivolikc.com or call 913-383-7756 for more information.

By Michael D. Smith

Indie Film Editor

Michael D. Smith earned a Bachelor of Arts in history at College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Missouri followed by a Master of Arts in history at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Inspired by such critics as Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, Michael started reviewing films in 1992 for College of the Ozarks's student-run newspaper. After returning to the Kansas City area in 1994, he continued film reviewing by writing for the Cass County Democrat Missourian in Harrisonville.

In 2000 Michael joined Sun Publications in Overland Park, Kansas where he served as its film critic and Arts and Entertainment Editor. During his tenure there, he was also the film critic for the "Fine Arts Radio Hour" and "Celebrity Scoop" radio shows on KXTR. After leaving the Sun in late 2002, he became the A&E writer for the Olathe News in Olathe, Kansas. He also worked as a freelance writer for The Squire in Leawood, Showcase Publishing in Lake Ozark, Missouri and the Kansas City Star.

Michael is currently a member of the Kansas City Film Critics Circle, a professional film critic organization established in 1966 by the late Dr. James Loutzenhiser.