November 16, 2022
MOVIE: 2ND CHANCE
DIRECTED BY RAMIN BAHRANI
RATING: 3 STARS (Out of 4)
By Dan Pal
Ramin Bahrani has made some powerful, socially-minded fictionalized films (The White Tiger, 99 Homes, Man Push Cart) and has now turned his attention to the real-life story of Richard Davis, who invented a top selling bullet proof vest. Bahrani’s documentary, 2nd Chance, takes its name from the company Davis founded that saved over a reported 1,000 lives and then saw its empire crumble with the introduction of a new, ultimately defective, edition of the vest.
What’s interesting about this story is Davis as a character. On the one hand, he is portrayed as something of a hero in his small Michigan town for fighting off armed men who attempted to rob the pizza place he once owned. Ultimately, his vest creation, which was used by the U.S. Military and even President George W. Bush, led to an even greater claim to fame. He instilled fear in the police about ruthless local gun holders so that he could sell them the latest models of his product.
He’s also depicted as an eccentric, some say narcissistic, liar and perhaps sexist who tested his own products by shooting at himself numerous times. There are many videos included here of Davis doing just that over many years. It’s hard not to close one’s eyes while watching this for fear that one of these shots might just go through the vest. Was he really risking his own life to save others or was he just putting people at risk? These thoughts are reflected upon throughout the film. Davis would also make his own low budget home action movies to highlight the effectiveness of his vests. Some of these films, also included, look like Super 8 movies made by the most amateur of amateurs.
Bahrani interviews former Davis colleagues, wives, and victims who were in one way or another effected by his unique ambitions. Some recall how people got hurt by his products while others believed he truly saved many lives. But perhaps the most troublesome repeated imagery here suggests that Davis might have encouraged an increase in gun violence by instilling a sense of power within people who wore his vests. Some suggest that this need for physical protection really took off after 9/11. Eventually one of the upgraded vests that were sold to the armed forces and government officials proved to be defective as bullets went straight through the material thus destroying, at least temporarily, Davis’s company and reputation.
The film does meander a bit through some interviews that stray from the primary story at hand. A few are quite moving but it’s never completely clear what Bahrani makes of Davis. Is he a fool? A hero? Does he have a memorable legacy? Perhaps that is up to us to decide. 2nd Chance may not pull the emotional wallop that some of Bahrani’s other films do but it does present a portrait of a man that may just be an ordinary guy with a once effective invention that helped save many people but also hurt a few others.
2nd Chance is currently playing as part of the DOC NYC Film Festival and can be streamed by the fest website at docnyc.net until November 27th. It opens in theaters December 2nd.
MOVIE: 2ND CHANCE
DIRECTED BY RAMIN BAHRANI
RATING: 3 STARS (Out of 4)
By Dan Pal
Ramin Bahrani has made some powerful, socially-minded fictionalized films (The White Tiger, 99 Homes, Man Push Cart) and has now turned his attention to the real-life story of Richard Davis, who invented a top selling bullet proof vest. Bahrani’s documentary, 2nd Chance, takes its name from the company Davis founded that saved over a reported 1,000 lives and then saw its empire crumble with the introduction of a new, ultimately defective, edition of the vest.
What’s interesting about this story is Davis as a character. On the one hand, he is portrayed as something of a hero in his small Michigan town for fighting off armed men who attempted to rob the pizza place he once owned. Ultimately, his vest creation, which was used by the U.S. Military and even President George W. Bush, led to an even greater claim to fame. He instilled fear in the police about ruthless local gun holders so that he could sell them the latest models of his product.
He’s also depicted as an eccentric, some say narcissistic, liar and perhaps sexist who tested his own products by shooting at himself numerous times. There are many videos included here of Davis doing just that over many years. It’s hard not to close one’s eyes while watching this for fear that one of these shots might just go through the vest. Was he really risking his own life to save others or was he just putting people at risk? These thoughts are reflected upon throughout the film. Davis would also make his own low budget home action movies to highlight the effectiveness of his vests. Some of these films, also included, look like Super 8 movies made by the most amateur of amateurs.
Bahrani interviews former Davis colleagues, wives, and victims who were in one way or another effected by his unique ambitions. Some recall how people got hurt by his products while others believed he truly saved many lives. But perhaps the most troublesome repeated imagery here suggests that Davis might have encouraged an increase in gun violence by instilling a sense of power within people who wore his vests. Some suggest that this need for physical protection really took off after 9/11. Eventually one of the upgraded vests that were sold to the armed forces and government officials proved to be defective as bullets went straight through the material thus destroying, at least temporarily, Davis’s company and reputation.
The film does meander a bit through some interviews that stray from the primary story at hand. A few are quite moving but it’s never completely clear what Bahrani makes of Davis. Is he a fool? A hero? Does he have a memorable legacy? Perhaps that is up to us to decide. 2nd Chance may not pull the emotional wallop that some of Bahrani’s other films do but it does present a portrait of a man that may just be an ordinary guy with a once effective invention that helped save many people but also hurt a few others.
2nd Chance is currently playing as part of the DOC NYC Film Festival and can be streamed by the fest website at docnyc.net until November 27th. It opens in theaters December 2nd.