Jane

Relying heavily upon previously unseen footage from the film vaults of National Geographic, this release will be of interest to people who have followed Dr. Goodall's groundbreaking work. To the same audience, however, much of the narrative will already be familiar. To my mind, it is best seen as an appendix to the fine work that has already been done in documenting the now legendary story of Jane Goodall rather than as a definitive synopsis of her career. Given that much of the visuals are over half a century old, younger audiences especially might have difficulty reconciling the production values of mid-twentieth century field location footage with the high expectations engendered by the modern cinema experience. Where this film shines, and the reason I would encourage people to see this film in a cinema, is the sound. The score (by the inimitable and immediately recognizable Phillip Glass) is itself compelling, and appropriately mirrors the emotional cadence of the visual narrative. The sound design and editing, apart from the music, however, is truly brilliant. The theater erupts in a chorus of chimpanzee cries, among other jungle soundscapes, in many parts of the movie, and I almost felt the need to turn around to see what might be behind me at some points. Glass also cleverly weaves chimp calls into the score in a syncopated "cat's cradle" of rhythm at one point, which brought a smile on my face by mere virtue of its compositional ingenuity; this film is "ear candy." That being said, despite the many out of focus and grainy shots, there are some truly breathtaking visuals in the movie provided by Hugo van Lawick, Dr. Goodall's original videographer and eventual (ex)husband. The most breathtaking stuff comes from the Serengeti, and is therefore ancillary to Dr. Goodall's work the Gombe Reserve, but is still important in the personal narrative of her life. You will not see a more intimate portrayal of Dr. Goodall's journey elsewhere however, despite the miles of celluloid devoted to her. Anyone who reads her books will already be familiar with the story disclosed in the story line itself, including the incalculable value of the influence of Dr. Goodall's mother, but the footage of "Mum" in camp at Gombe will be a treat for those who have hitherto only known her as a character mentioned in prose, passing dialogue in a previous documentary, or mention in one of Dr. Goodall's innumerous public appearances. While much of the visual media of this film is novel, and the narrative itself mostly familiar, the presentation is likely to entertain, if not inform, almost any viewer. Modern audiences are cautioned to understand that this is not a film that relies upon computer- generated special effects, explosions, and a vast post-production budget beyond restoring and improving half- century old celluloid reels. It will very likely succeed in evoking an emotional response, which is, after all, the aim of any artistic work. That Dr. Goodall's entire career succeeds in the same vein is a powerful argument for the assertion that her life itself must be viewed as a contribution to art as much as to science.

JANE

Although I've watched shows and news coverage about Jane Goodall through the years, I found this documentary to be a fresh take on the beloved subject, Jane. The narrative follows Jane's personal development on a parallel track with a close chronicle of her work. I learned a lot about Jane that I didn't know, and I want to learn more. I appreciated that the film is simple, quiet, and narrated in Jane's own calming voice. I find her physical presence to be lovely and uplifting and the footage that was just found in the past few years is fascinating and beautiful.

Jane is not just a wildlife documentary about chimpanzees. It's about life, relationship, persistence, success, failure, love, death and nearly every aspects of life in most beautiful way you can imagine.

A very impressive, effective and soulful movie which no one should miss.

Respect Ms Jane Goodall.

'JANE': Four Stars (Out of Five)

A documentary biopic about the life and work of Jane Goodall. Goodall is a world famous primatologist, ethologist, anthropologist, vegetarian and animal rights activist, who challenged the male dominated science of her time, to revolutionize the world's understanding of humans relations to non-human animals, and nature, through her groundbreaking chimpanzee research. The film was written and directed by Brett Morgen, and it's received nearly unanimous positive reviews from critics, as well as some prestigious awards recognition too. Being a huge animal lover, the film was really interesting and inspiring to me.

The film takes place primarily in the 60s, when Goodall traveled to Gombe Stream National Park, in Tanzania, to study chimpanzees in the wild, and their social interactions with each other. Her findings revolutionized the way we view chimpanzees, other primates, and animals in general. They also challenged the male dominated studies on the subject of that time too. The story is told through old footage, that just became public, and through interviews with Goodall now herself.

Being an animal lover, and vegan, it is incredibly inspiring to see how positive Goodall was in the animal rights movement. She also (obviously) helped advance women's efforts and work in science. So the film is definitely inspiring in those ways too, and it's also just really interesting to watch. The footage of chimpanzees in the wild is always fascinating to view as well. It's a little slow-paced at times, when the primates aren't onscreen, but it's mostly a very interesting and educational documentary.

One of the best documentaries. Flows and moves like an actual movie, with a narrative that moves so effortlessly with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Brett Morgen should really be applauded for giving this such a rich pathos and a clear thematic focus; it feels so cinematic, and has a real sense of progression.

To see such parallels between Goodall's duties as both a wife and mother when compared to her animal subjects is so endearing, especially knowing that this is real footage being used; in that light, this is one of the year's best edited films.