Trouble the Water (2008)

Waste of time

Too much of everything

Good concept, poorly executed.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

If you are looking for a documentary about a waste of air (former drug dealer, aspiring rap artist - enough said) that you can barely understand due to slurry ghetto speak, then this documentary is for you. This woman had a rough life, blah de blah de blah. She has done nothing to improve on it, which is what this documentary proves. Yet she is all "trust in God," while following none of the basic rules of how to be a good person. It's sickening, and incredibly sad. The pivotal moment, at least for me, is her and her crew returning to their home after Katrina, camera rolling and good teeth flashing, to find their dog has survived the flood. They abandoned their dog, people. And want you to believe there's a respect for life here as she one millionth of a percent worries about her neighbors and where their bodies might be. They then bitch about the National Guard not being there as soldiers walk through their backyard, and point out that only the ASPCA has been there. Maybe because of people like you, sweetheart. Perhaps I think too rationally, but the two things people grab when fleeing from disaster are their pets and their family photographs. She leaves both behind, more focused on that camera rolling on her and her own sweet bum. She barely acknowledges the dog, who is sadly so happy to see his betrayers, and kisses the photographs she left behind that managed to survive, but weren't good enough to take with her. There is no redemption here. There is no love, there is only a want for money and personal gain. Just a bad person who demands that FEMA takes care of her while she can't look out for her own. Skip this waste of film unless you are in the mood to get really, really mad at how disgusting human beings can be, especially in the wake of a tragedy.

That this could happen in America is a crime of such a magnitude that no words coming from the Bush administration could ever erase the shame. An amateur rented a camera and her video is supplemented by profession work in this Oscar nominated and Sundance award winning film.The fact that we had rapid response to the storms that hit Texas afterwards does not negate what happened in Louisiana. This short film brings home the crime that was committed upon this city and it's residents.Navy personnel aiming M-16s at a crowd of survivors just looking for a warm and dry place to sleep is indicative of the lack of care the government displayed in the aftermath of Katrina. "Get off our property or we're gonna start shooting." Excellent film about some people got their lives together on their own.

As an Eropean, and never been in USA, I was shocked by seeing the people that live in the shown flooded areas. I wish there were subtitles all the way cause none was to be understood!!! . Sure, everyone knows about the failures during this drama of the Bush government, no question about that, but i do think many could of thought of leaving the neighborhoods and...taking there responsibilities with them, such as.....DOGS and other animals!!!!They were warned and informed all the time and they saw TV.(Amazing how the narrators of this documentary treat their dogs after leaving them on their own) Many did take their animals i am sure...but not in those areas, i bet they do dogfights too if you see the cages and the type of breed of dogs) What a poverty what misery people in New Orleans..i thought i was watching people from Johannesburg South Africa.I am not surprised that a combination of lack of the government help and the kind of people, drugs dealers junkies etc etc that were hit, lead to this catastrophic aftermath.I always wanted to see New Orleans but i think i will skip after seeing this documentary. No good, its is one big crying and lashing out and NOT looking at own responsibilities and listening to warnings by the government. Evacuation order means evacuation...better walk miles out if the city in DRY streets then with water up to your shoulders.And the junkie that died in the house was walking around half dead before Kartina stroked. If they care so much about their neighbors and friends..they should of invited him into there home, was to be expected the man would not survive.The docu became very boring and doesn't deserve an Oscar for sure in my humble opinion.I hope there was some sort of animal rescue drifter Katrina struck but i guess not cause the people were abounded themselves

Back in 2005, when Kimberly Roberts,a up & coming rapper from the 9th Ward in New Orleans first heard of what was going to be a major hurricane in her neck of the woods,she got her hands on a used video camera from a street hustler,looking to make a quick buck & started to record anything & everything she saw (with the assistance of her husband,Scott). Four days later,her world,as she knew it,drowned in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Documentary film makers Carl Deal & Tia Lessin (who had worked on 'Fahrenheit 9/11',etc.)were in New Orleans,filming all of the mass mayhem & became acquainted with the Roberts' & offered to use their crude,clumsy,kitchen sink video footage as part of their documentary film project. The results of this collaboration is 'Trouble The Water' (the title of a Gospel song that is heard on the soundtrack). This powerful film is cinema verite at it's best. It easily takes it's place among recently released documentaries on Katrina ('Camp Katrina',etc.). This documentary is produced by HBO,which means that it will probably turn up there some time later for those who missed the opportunity to see it in cinemas. No rating,but contains vulgar language & some disturbing sights & sounds.