something missing

There is something missing in this film. It lacks context. There is an assumption that the viewer already knows a lot about Chicago, about the local communities, about who the gangs are and what they do, about why they kill each other, why the rate of murder is so high in Chicago, what has been done about it in the past, etc. etc.

It also lacks resolution. While the personal narratives may have an end (an end by virtue of the filming period of 12 months finishing) there is no end or conclusion to the overall narrative or point.

It is easy to get wrapped up in the emotion of this film, but technically, as a documentary, it feels like only the middle part of a story has been told with a lot left to be said around the edges to fill in a richer and more complex story.