Friday, August 29, 2008

Movie review: A Man Named Pearl

By Alex Bentley

Pearl doing what he does best.

Some documentaries make you want to stand up and cheer, some make you cry, some make you want to punch something in anger, and some make you want to try and change the world. A Man Named Pearl does none of those things, but it does have some charm in its own right.

The film (now playing at the Angelika Dallas) follows Pearl Fryar, a self-made topiary artist in Bishopsville, South Carolina. Over the years, Pearl has been able to take his unassuming plot of land and turn it into a series of hedge and tree masterpieces, a lot of the time using plants that were discarded by the local nursery.

Pearl’s garden has become so well-known, in fact, that it is the main tourist draw for Bishopsville and has been featured in national newspapers, magazines, and TV shows. Much of the film focuses on the dedication Pearl has to his garden, trimming the plants every day, sometimes late into the night. People interviewed include Pearl’s apparently very understanding wife and family, town officials, garden tourists, and even a college professor who brought Pearl in to tell her students about the artistry he displays with his topiaries.

Just one example of Pearl's artistry.

The portrayal of Pearl is at once inspiring and daunting. It is plain to see the acclaim that can come from putting all your effort into something you’re passionate about, but as the film goes along, one can’t help but wonder if his zeal was more obsession than perseverance. The film barely touches on the idea that Pearl is a black man who started the garden as a way to prove himself in a predominantly-white neighborhood. This is mostly a feel-good story, but it would’ve been interesting to hear if racism was any kind of motivating factor for Pearl.

While the sight of the garden is impressive, the repetitive nature of seeing the garden again and again, even from fresh viewpoints, gets a bit wearing. The sight of the almost impossibly-big yards of Pearl and his neighbors could be a source of envy for viewers not used to seeing so much space, though.

Pearl himself is almost a man of myth, with a fit body despite his age and his ultra-baritone voice, and he thankfully holds interest when the story starts to wane. The film is only 77 minutes long, but easily could’ve been cut down further. Nothing against you, Pearl, but a documentary about plants can only go so far.

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