Man on Wire – Movie Review

Man on Wire, I admit I had only heard of this little film because it was nominated for an Academy Award & won!  It also took home the BAFTA & 22 other prestigious film & documentary awards.

It’s about a french dude who illegally strung a 200 ft. wire across the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center -back in the 70’s- and proceeded to dance, run, even salute (!) and walk across it 8 times in 45 minutes.  

What I loved about the film is this dude’s energy!  Man, he’s telling the story and the way they frame the whole thing up it’s like you are there.  They also show real footage of him over the years practicing & planning for this feat.  What he calls his “dream” & “the greatest accomplishment of his life”.  He planned for this before the towers were even built!

They interview with his accomplice’s, his girlfriend & others who saw it including the police officer who tried to get him to come off the wire –he was simply awestruck.  The police officer said, “I’m not sure if I will ever see something so amazing and inspiring for the rest of my life.”  The film sucks you in, leaves you on the edge of your seat & terrifies you all at once.  

It was just amazing!  I was sobbing like a baby.

I found it to be inspiring & beautiful and one of the best films I’ve seen in a very long time.  Highly, highly recommend.

A++++

p.s. beautifully put by an Amazon reviewer I admire…

“It was literally the end of a love affair with life for all of them, something “too hot not to cool down,” an overture too overwhelming to be followed by a mere opera. When Petit’s boyhood friend broke down in tears at the waning of their friendship, when Petit’s wife-the-love-of-his-life felt the reality that his life no longer needed hers, the whole social cost of Petit’s obsession moved me also almost to tears. Hey, I might have cried if my heart had slowed down to twice normal. I felt an urge to grab my son and hug or shake him, saying “don’t let your art be more to you than your life, which is exactly what Petit did.””