Films are most effective when they go to uncomfortable places. When they uncover scandals, inform us about our social ills, and make people more sensitive to the injustices of the world we live in. Clark Johnson‘s PERCY about Canadian farmer Percy Schmeiser (Christopher Walken) is a film just like that, baised and honest in it‘s focus on the little guy, an investigative, passionate drama in the best sense of the world which makes viewers smarter, more critical, and angry. The anger in this classic and real David and Goliath story isn‘t directed at just one person alone, but an entire company: the US corporation Monsanto, which belongs to the German Bayer AG today. One day they accuse Schmeiser of using the company‘s genetically modified seed without a license, which he vehemently denies, especially because he only cultivates seeds from his own plants. Against the advice of his lawyer (Zach Braff), the stubborn, monosyllabic farmer decides to go to trial which takes many years and will cost him a lot of energy. But Schmeiser isn‘t alone, at least not ain the beginning. Initially he has his wife Louise (Roberta Maxwell) and persistent activist Rebecca (Christina Ricci) by his side and the public is also devoted to him. But the tougher his battle for justice gets, the lonelier he is. Even though PERCY doesn‘t come off as intense and pressing as, for example, Todd Haynes‘ DARK WATER, in which Mark Ruffalo goes up against chemical corporation DuPont, it is still worth watching and illuminating, which is quite the achievement.

Pamela Jahn (INDIEKINO MAGAZIN)

Translation: Elinor Lewy