TV & Film Review

Man on Wire

Feature Film | James Marsh
By Eric Schneider

A wondrous feat gets its cinematic due.

Unquestionably one of the most engaging documentaries ever filmed, Man on Wire transcends its genre with its gripping heist-movie conceit. True to documentary form, the film, directed by James Marsh, paints a portrait of a determined dreamer—an agile Frenchman aptly named Philippe Petit—revealing his early 1970s roots as a playful street performer. But as he comes to realize his seemingly impossible vision—a high-wire walk between the two towers of Manhattan's newly built World Trade Center—it takes on the tone of a tension-building thriller, with a well-directed reenactment further ratcheting up the tension. While there's no shortage of interpersonal drama between Petit and his co-conspirators, particularly his girlfriend at the time, the movie wisely chooses to keep most of its focus on the immensity of his ambitious undertaking, successfully conveying the sheer amazement of his 1974 accomplishment. The document of a truly once-in-a-lifetime event, Man on Wire fully captures the awe of seeing someone inhabiting an unthinkable space in the air—deservedly, the film itself resides at a similarly elevated status.

TAGS: 1970s, Balance, Documentary, Frenchmen, Grand Schemes, Manhattan, New York City, Street Performers, Wire-Walking, World Trade Center,

FACTS: Released: July 25, 2008 (Magnolia Pictures); Runtime: 90 minutes; Primary Artist: Philippe Petit

Man on Wire trailer