Man on Wire

I recently went to the Landmark Century Theater to view a quite remarkable documentary by the name of Man on Wire.  Directed by James Marsh, the doc tells the story of Philippe Petit, a French wire walker who dreams of rigging a wire between the two towers of the World Trade Center in the 1970s, and walking across.

What is remarkable about the documentary is that it recreates Petit's attempt to rig the wire, something he and his crew figured wouldn't be allowed.  They sneak in using various methods, including disguising as World Trade Center workers.  The reenactments at first seem a little cheesy, but are so well integrated into the story that soon you just except that this is real footage.  What helps is the incorporation of home video footage of Petit crossing wires at home, and his various stunts crossing the bell towers of Notre Dame, and the Sydney bridge.

But what the movie and the director achieve is a thrilling story that basically sets out to inspire you to want to go out and achieve the impossible.  Petit does cross the World Trade Center (eight times no less), and even the policemen who come up to arrest him are awestruck.  This is a film that celebrates the average human's dream to achieve the unattainable, and encourages audiences to dream the impossible.