The Tradesmen

I have to give 8 out of 10 simply due to poor/strange camera angles used. Several times for no logical reason they decided to do strange close ups of peoples mouthes and chins. This was rather distracting. However, the substance of this film was very accurate and reflects how there is a cultural/perspective divide between the white collar worker and the blue collar worker. This is a good film to use to spark discussion and debate.

This film provides a detailed look at the lives of America's blue collar workers. It emphasizes the importance of these jobs and the risk we run by not having enough skilled people to fill these jobs. It really sheds a lot of light on how intelligent and artistic blue collar workers are, and how vocational education should be encouraged.

An eye opening film. It gave me a perspective for blue collar jobs that I didn't know I lacked. What spoke to me was the way this film was carried throughout the film in following various tradesmen in their everyday "studios." Doing what they know how to do best, giving the viewer an authentic experience of what it is like to hold a blue collar job. The passion behind these skilled tradesmen is nothing but inspiring, worthy of the highest respect and admiration.

This film helps to create the individual to think about not just trades but the individuals who work within their trade. Individuals within the trade love their job and take pride in what they do just as those who work in an office, behind a computer, etc. These jobs are needed in our world and the individuals who perform this job need to be respected and provided for just as the upper class jobs are being provided for and respected. Tradesmen are creative intelligent individuals within their profession.

First off I really like and respect Mike Rowe who is in this film. I have watched him for years on the show Dirty Jobs. If anyone knows the importance of technical work and trades it is definitely him. And it makes the film more reliable. I liked how this film reminds you of how important the trades are and really paints a picture of how much we still need them. With technology only getting more impressive as time moves on, we have to remember that manual labor and people with a true passion for trade work will always be needed. The statistics they show of the constant decline in people applying for trade schools and work is concerning. The new age believes making videos on Tik Tok or You Tube is the future because it is easy and does not require much labor. In this film they follow several tradesman in different fields of work who talk about why they love the job. What I loved was seeing these skilled workers using the tools of the trade, but also being able to complete the job without using a lot of technology. I was a tradesman and I picked up on the mason installing and leveling the bricks on the wall he was building using only his eyes which we used to call that "eyeballing it." The carpenter was able to build wooden structures based on his own mental vision and skill. These are skills you can't learn in a book and it was great to see this portrayed in this film. The only thing I wish this film did better would be to show how these opportunities and skills can be obtained. Maybe explain that it does not matter if you are higher class, or a poverty class, these skilled trades need workers from all walks of life, skill level, and education level so they can continue to evolve and improve.