Project Nim
Director: James Marsh
Rating: 4/5
Oscar winner James Marsh returns to the documentary genre for his new movie Project Nim, which is one of the most emotional movies of 2011 so far.
Project Nim follows the story of Nim, the chimpanzee who in the 1970s became the focus of a landmark experiment which aimed to show that an ape could learn to communicate with language if raised and nurtured like a human child.
Following Nim's extraordinary journey through human society, and the enduring impact he makes on the people he meets along the way, the film is an unflinching and unsentimental biography of an animal we tried to make human.
What we learn about his true nature - and indeed our own - is comic, revealing and profoundly unsettling.
Project Nim is one of the best documentaries of this year as Marsh delivers a movie that is moving and, at times, totally heart wrenching that will stay with you long after the credits have rolled.
While the story of Nim is the most prominent theme in the movie it also demonstrates the true failings of the human race and, at times, our cruelty.
It’s an uncomfortable watch as we see Nim exploited when he was useful, showing an understanding of language, but was than so harshly disregarded when he was no longer needed.
And yet throughout the film Nim never seems to give up on the human race as he develops some very powerful bonds with some of the humans in his life, the one with Bob Ingersoll springing to mind,
This is what makes the movie so utterly heartbreaking than no matter how many times he is failed, dare I go as far as to say totally betrayed, he always finds a way to let humans back into his life.
You can’t help but fall in love with Nim and his difficult life will enrage you as a viewer as well as break your heart.
While this is movie is a very emotional watch it is also completely fascinating as Nim develops a basic understanding of language and his own version of signing.
And when the credits roll you are left asking yourself how could they do that to this creature? Why was this allowed to happen? Why did more people not stand up and fight for him?
James Marsh has to be applauded for the frankness of his movie he is not afraid to show the arrogance, greed and glory of the humans involved that overrides any sense of moral obligation that they had to protect and nurture this animal.
Marsh blends well dramatised shots with authentic home movies and it’s made seamless by some really great editing - it really is a very stylish looking movie.
But Marsh never points the finger he just delivers events as they happened and leaves audiences to decide who is to blame and why.
Project Nim is a movie that sees two species go head to head and when the movie is over you are left with a very disturbing question… who is the name, and who is the beast?
Project Nim is out now
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw