Jessica Kiang The act of making an observational documentary is built on hope. Or at least, on the slightly reckless faith that once the cameras are rolling, patterns and arcs will duly emerge, coalescing into insightful, manageable storylines that can with luck be shaped to deliver an uptick of optimism.
Joshua Altman and Bing Liu’s “All These Sons” certainly starts off in that vein, introducing us to its cast of characters — all men from Chicago’s South and West sides, involved in one of two programs addressing the scourge of gun and gang violence in the city — with the familiar energy of the urban social issues doc, promising illumination, hard-won wisdom, maybe even inspiration.
Then the ambivalence of real life starts to tarnish that shiny promise, and “All These Sons” becomes a far more interesting, far less simple film.
The two programs targeting local at-risk youth are both loosely faith-based: the Westside’s MAAFA Redemption Project led by Marshall Hatch Jr., the charismatic son of a local Baptist pastor, and the Southside’s IMAN (Inner-City Muslim Action Network) run by the tirelessly invested and compassionate Billy Moore.
Read more on variety.com