Review of Helvetica (2007) by Todd S — 28 Dec 2010

Who doesn't love a good documentary? I know I do. But there are so many of them, its hard to find the great ones in the forest of crap. But this is a great documentary. About a font. That's right, a font.

Helvetica has a ton of critical acclaim. But until just recently I couldn't bring myself to watch it. Because its a movie about a font. And a boring font at that. When I finally got around to it I was pleasantly surprised. Helvetica is a fantastic documentary. It takes a relatively simple subject, the most common font in history, and tells its story in an engaging way. There is no narrative. Interview clips and common imagery are used to convey the message. There is no opinion. The film makers simply get out of the way and let the story be told. That is pretty rare these days. Most documentaries come with a hefty dose of editorial. Its refreshing to not be badgered by the beliefs of the people behind the camera. By the end of the movie I found myself seeing my world in a whole new light. Not anything earth shaking, but I definitely have begun to notice how often I run into Helvetica on a day to day basis. If you have some time to spare, I encourage you to take a look at a well made film on a topic that you may not be fascinated in. Its worth your time.