REVIEW - AT BERKELEY

It is not 'Berkeley'. It is 'At Berkeley'. It is a portrait not of what happens at the great public university, but instead of what happened this one time, and that one time. It is the grandest project yet in the monumental career of Frederick Wiseman, who not only directs but also edits his films. At Berkeley sees his talents as filmmaker put to impeccably good use. The casual, intimate framing encourages sincerity, and it is clear and vibrant. The moments captured range from poetry lectures to faculty meetings to astrophysics seminars to student protests, and we watch, and Wiseman watches. His is not a guiding hand, his objective is, in fact, not even hidden, it's plain to see: he is cataloguing history as it occurs, presenting the world with a view on another major institution that we might otherwise never have had, and for no good reason. His edit betrays no ulterior intent - he's only editing in the most vital and most arresting material, not editing out. And our only choice is to trust him, as we and him are one and the same in Berkeley - outsiders, engaging and experiencing but only to a point, yet understanding from a unique perspective. Judgement is ours to make, whether we decide to or not (it is by no means invited), and Wiseman refuses to partake in swaying our opinion, to the level that his is a stark film indeed, bereft of soundtrack, stylistic editing or even name titles on screen, so we must discern the position of each and every character in the frame. Stark, but not cold, as it simmers warmly with life, in that it is a depiction of just that.