“Sweetgrass” Lulls Without Real Documentary Story

With all due respect to the directors of “Sweetgrass”, I walked out of the theater because I found this newly-released documentary so boring. To be fair, this beautifully shot documentary about sheep ranching has garnered many positive reviews, and it was still getting a good turnout after a two-week run at the Roxie Cinema in San Francisco.

I really wanted to like the film, especially because for once I had nothing to do on a Sunday afternoon. The problem really was with the film’s genre. “Sweetgrass” is a classic portrait documentary, an in-depth look at a particular place, the majestic big sky country of Montana.

Like many slice-of-life documentaries, “Sweetgrass” had no true protagonist, that is, someone with a desire or goal.  And as with many portraits–either of places or people–the scenes meandered from one beautifully shot landscape to another.

What would have made this film riveting? If the sheep ranchers were struggling to pay off a back loan so they could get off their bank’s troubled accounts list and stay in business, as in the documentary engaging “Troublesome Creek: a Midwestern”, I might have not walked out after half an hour.

I’m not here to trash this documentary, and my view may be certainly be in the minority. The film got many great reviews, including from critic Andrew Schenker, who praised the documentary in Art Forum, as “a film of subtle shifts and slowly dawning disclosures.”

Maybe the film got really interesting. If so, please let me know what happens.

The point is that at least this viewer was not engaged early enough to stay in her seat after the popcorn was gone.

My work is a story consultant, I come across many projects that are headed to become beautiful documentary portraits, but not the kind of film that will keep a large number of viewers in their seats, much less glued to the screen.

I gently guide these filmmakers to consider finding a quest that will engage the audience. If you’re worried about creating something that’s not there, don’t. Quests abound.  There’s no need to make one up.

For information on how to find and craft an engaging quest-driven documentary using many of the dramatic devices employed by screenwriters, please check out my Ecourse, ” Editing the Character Driven Documentary” at https://newdocediting.com/land/editingdocumentaryecourse/.