Sun 25th April

America: The Story of Us serves notice from its very first scene that it’s no ordinary documentary. It begins not with the U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the first shots fired at Lexington or even the voyage of Christopher Columbus to the New World. Instead, it marks the seminal moment in American history as the 1610 arrival of Virginia colonist James Rolfe with “a cargo that will change America forever” — tobacco seed……..
…………..If America: The Story of Us has a flaw, it’s a lack of self-confidence. Root and her team of producers, apparently worried that the show needed to be juiced with celebrity, regularly insert interview snippets from political commentators, newsmen and the usual gang of Hollywood suspects. The insights of Bill Maher and Sheryl Crow into the institution of slavery, unsurprisingly, turn out to be anything but keen. Though I have to admit that listening to Martha Stewart’s rhapsodic defense of 19th century sweatshops made the whole thing worth it.

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/04/25/v-print/1594602/drama-surprise-bring-american.html#ixzz0mDdwdES5

Glenn Garvin – Miami Herald