Grass Movie Review

Ron Mann's documentary on the "war on drugs" -- marijuana specifically -- gets points for style and originality, but loses a lot of credibility due to its utter lack of impartiality. But with hemp activist Woody Harrelson narrating the film, I didn't expect much less.

Grass amiably traces the war on marijuana throughout the 20th century, from old archival footage, newsreels, and propaganda films and moving on into 1960s counterculture footage and Presidential speeches. All of it works well in explaining -- to some extent -- the political underpinnings of the drug war. As well, the medical research over the decades (all of which conveniently states there is no basis for the criminalization of marijuana) is trotted out.

Again, the factuality of Grass is difficult to judge, but at least it's a pretty fun time. Mann is able to present the material with tongue firmly in cheek, yet he does have a point. For example, to hear Ronald Reagan (whose wife pioneered "Just Say No") go on about how pot can cause memory loss if hysterically ironic. It's a one-sided story, to be sure, but Mann knows his history, and the new DVD release of Grass makes drugs a lot of fun.

Er, wait a second.