Trouble the Water

"Freedom exists somewhere. There's just limitations on that freedom."-Trouble the Water

After months of wanting to be see the documentary about Hurricane Katrina, Trouble the Water, I was finally able to find a few hours to sit in the library and watch the film. It was well made, interesting, and informative.

The documentary follows a Katrina survivor, Kimberly Rivers, through the hurricane and the aftermath when she is trying to get back on her feet. When I say survivor I'm not talking about people who last minute left New Orleans or watched the hurricane hit from a safe area. Rivers was unable to leave her home and actually spent days in the attic with about 5 other people savoring as much food as she could get trying to survive until help could come.

Rivers kept a video of her own experience in the hurricane and the filmmakers, Tia Lessin and Carl Deal, used that along with their own footage of Rivers after the hurricane to make the movie. The documentary was put together with what clips they had, making it more realistic.

Trouble the Water does though tell a one sided, one opinion story about Hurricane Katrina. One part of the movie, parallels media coverage with Rivers own experience, showing the drastic difference. It is not a bad thing to tell one side but it is just something to remember when you watch the movie.

I like this documentary because it makes you think and I would strongly recommend watching it.