Review of That Sugar Film (2014) by R Winona J — 11 Feb 2016

You know the old "If you're only going to see one documentary, this year, see this one" cliché? Well, Damon Gameau's That Sugar Film is sort of like that, and sort of like "If you eat food, you must see this documentary." Yeah, it's that important.

Gameau, an Australian TV and film actor, has written and directed this film that many compare to Morgan Spurlock's Super Size Me (2004). (As I've never seen that one, I got nothin' for ya'). What I can say is that Gameau has done his homework. His offerings range from a brief but stylized history of sugar--brought to you by none other than Hugh Jackman--to the story of Howard Moskowitz who, while working for Dr. Pepper in the 1970s, discovered the optimum level of sweetness that is now known in the food biz as the "Bliss Point." Gameau travels to the small town of Amata, in Australia's northern territory, where the Aboriginal citizens succumb to heart and liver diseases, hypertension, and diabetes at alarmingly young ages; to the Appalachian town of Barbourville, Kentucky, where dentist Edwin Smith has coined the term "Mountain Dew Mouth" to describe the pus-filled caverns of rotted teeth that he encounters every day.

Fortunately, Gameau splices the grimmer stuff with self-deprecating humor and some fairly enjoyable effects. There's a lot to learn, here. Plus, how often does anyone have the opportunity to see Mountain Dew Mouth up close and personal? See the film. And stop drinking Mountain Dew.