Customer Reviews

UnCivil Liberties

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I saw this movie at the Madison Theater in Albany and I was impressed by the solid performances from most of the lead actors. The story is very topical, yet the film manages to avoid any soapbox grandstanding (and I will do the same).

I think this is a very good movie. It is very timely, almost taken from of the news stories of today. It is a movie to be seen by many people with different points of view. I was surprised by how the movie ended. I didn't expect the ending at all. I do hope there will be a follow up movie, to see where the charaters go next. Actually I think it would make a great weekly TV show.

I would recommend this movie to be enjoyed on a weekend night with friends. I would love to be there for the discussion after the movie. Thanks to Mr. Mercer and the players for a most enjoyable and thought filled evening.

Thought-provoking, enjoyable film. Is it "the system" that compels good people to do evil, or is it the worst of human nature that designs systems that cause us harm? Reminded me in some ways of "Minority Report," where the all-consuming quest for security engulfs everything else.

I enjoyed UnCivil Liberties very much. The plot and acting were really good. The film kept my interest all the way through and the ending was very satisfying. Let's hope someone in Washington takes the hint!

Watch this film for its content but also for a really wonderful performance by Penny Perkins (and others). Tom Mercer has crafted a truly thought-provoking feature about the lack of a line (fine or otherwise) between civil liberties and national security. Nobody is either secure or at liberty in this really fine first effort. Independant film is alive and well, however!

I highly recommend Uncivil Liberties to anyone interested in exploring the fine line that runs between the protection and violation of our "inalienable rights". Director Tom Mercer shows us a world of characters who walk that "fine line", and he counterbalances them so that we ask just what it might be that makes a person a terrorist, a patriot, or a force of oppression vs. freedom in "The System". I think it took a lot of "chuztpah" for Mercer and his producers to make this film, to show it at a high traffic venue (where I saw it), and to give voice to opinions not completely shared by the mainstream movie-going public.

It is also one of the finest specimens of independent *and* low budget film making I've seen, and shows us that low-budget is not synonymous with low quality--by any stretch. The story, photography, editing, and acting all point to the professionalism of the filmmakers, and their ability to turn out a quality product. And be sure to watch the behind-the-scenes documentary to learn about the dedication and persistence it took to make Uncivil Liberties. This film is an inspiration for first-time independent filmmakers everywhere.

Other cinematic touches I enjoyed: A journey into the interior of an urban mosque in which a working definition of justice gets..."discussed" (you'll have to see for yourself). Also, a touch of "techno-mysticism" when we glimpse into the subconscious of the film's heroine (anti-heroine?) implying an organic link between our collective consciousness as humans and the complex networks of computers that connect us in our daily activities (needless to say, When a film goes *there*, I am instantly hooked!).

But for all its timeliness and topicality, while watching it I was sometimes reminded of older favorites like Odd Man Out (1947) and other films that depecit the social dynamics of separatist groups. Another in that category I liked was No (1998) about Quebec separatism. Maybe watch all of these in sequence and toss in your own politically-themed favorites for a livingroom film festival that studies the dynamics of political oppression and subversion. And while you do this, be sure to cherish your absolute right to do so!

In this directorial debut Tom Mercer has left meet right, and they've all got the same issues, the point being that fanatacism and fear-based thinking look the same, no matter which side of the political fence they reside on. It's good to see that recognized, and also good to see the interesting way in which a complex plot works that out. This is a film that asks you to think while it entertains you. Nicely done, Tom.

Recently, I had the pleasure of attending a screening of "UnCivil Liberties" during it's limited theatrical run, with the added bonus of being in the company of the film's Writer / Director Tom Mercer, who was present for a Q & A session following the screening.

The film itself speaks volumes as to the "Big Brother" mentality of our own government and truly gives an eerie look into what could be our near future. In a world where paranoia runs deep following the attacks on September 11th, our own government seems it not only to be fit, but necessary, that all of it's citizens be tracked and placed under relentless monitoring. Their rationale seems to be that it is simply because you never can tell who is and is not a terrorist.

When a troop of modern day patriots seek to strike a blow to and blind the ever-watching eye of the government, one will stand up in defiance of killing one of those responsible for the URTS (Universal Resident Tracking System), the program's creator, Cynthia Porter.

Due to his direct disobedience to the orders given to him, he will set off a chain of events that will make those who were once enemies, allies, those who once worked for the system, to feel the need to break out when walls seem to be closing in on them, and those who once stood proudly in salute to our country's flag, to fear being swallowed in the shadow of it.

UnCivil Liberties, though produced at the budget that it was, still gives you big budget thrills and story and will spark many meaningful conversations long after the credits have ceased to roll and the lights have come up.

I highly recommend this film and looking forward to future works from Tom Mercer.

Tom Mercer has crafted a very good political thriller that deals with modern day issues. The parallel stories of Cynthia Porter and Sam Norton work well: looking at the issue from multiple viewpoints was an intelligent decision by Mercer. The cast is solid, particularly Glenn Allen, who is riveting in the trial scene. The set design and effects are also impressive, especially for an independent film, which was almost assuredly shot on a very low budget. This is an impressive debut from Mercer. I look forward to more of his work.

I liked the central character, a tightly wound computer nerd who has devised a way for Homeland Security to track the movements of ordinary Americans. I also liked the rogues gallery of terrorists, with their secret agendas of white power, no taxes, firearm ownership and religious fundamentalism. When your favorite terrorist puts your favorite government snoop in his gunsight, whom do you root for?

As a low-budget, independent film, Uncivil Liberties pleases. It's not a message movie. It's a story movie, and you can draw the message you want out of it. I thought it was a film about what it means to be loyal.

There is a certain amount of stereotyping; the fanatics act fanatical and the bureaucrats are bureaucratic. But first time writer/director Tom Mercer milks drama from the personal choices the characters make. Four stars. Worth a look.