The Interrupters

On the south side of Chicago, violence is an epidemic. The city’s youth solve their issues with gunfire, with few expecting to reach adulthood. As parents mourn the loss of their children, the police seem powerless to end the slaughter, leaving a community action group to take matters into their own hands. The men and women of the CeaseFire initiative for violence prevention endeavour to instil behaviour that will divert the spate of killings, earning the name The Interrupters in the process.

Award-winning documentarian Steve James (Hoop Dreams) spends a year chronicling their actions, focusing on three key figures. Each has their own history as perpetrators of the very violence they now fight to stop, and each wields significant influence within their neighbourhoods. Accordingly, the film tells the stories of Ameena Matthews, Cobe Williams and Eddie Bocanegra as they aim to mediate conflict throughout Chicago. As the ex-gang enforcer daughter of infamous crime kingpin Jeff Fort, a former drug trafficker and a convicted murderer respectively, their tales epitomise the transformation they attempt to impart.

The feature also reveals the plights of their youthful charges as the seasons pass. Nineteen-year-old Caprysha bears the scars of an abused childhood as she continually violates her parole, but wants to change her life for the better. Li’l Mikey has just been released from jail for armed robbery, whilst revenge-obsessed Flamo’s anger stems from having spent 15 of his 32 years in prison. And then there are the children of the Namaste centre, who turn to art as a way of coping with the violence around them.

Favouring an observational approach, James lets his subjects do the talking. The three violence interrupters act as his guide through the heartbreak and horror of continuous inner-city combat, cataloguing their successes and failures. In candid discussions they share their struggles with the culture of killing, accompanied by insightful and inspiring footage of their intervention attempts. The two-hour package paints a powerful picture of the impact of violence, and the courage it takes to stop it.

Steeped in riveting realism, the presentation is impeccably crafted, combining arresting content with informative context. Continuing the commitment seen in previous efforts, the documentary filmmaker inhabits the world presented, to astonishing effect. Indeed, the topic transcends the screen, leaving a lasting impression on the viewing audience. An unflinching examination of an unending issue, The Interrupters is enormous in scope and resonance.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

The Interrupters
Director: Steve James
USA, 2011, 125 min

Distributor: Kartemquin Films
Rated M
Screening at ACMI, January 15–31, 2012
Bookings: www.acmi.net.au