BENDING STEEL - TRIBECA REVIEW
The magic of Coney Island in Brooklyn, NY has always been placed in the past. The classic memories of the boardwalk in its heyday include the Freak Show, the Bearded Lady, and the Strong Man. That final Coney Island attraction has been sorely lacking in recent years and Chris Schoeck would like to do something about that. He would like to become a professional Strong Man and bring this lost art back. The problem with Chris is that he doesn’t have a lot of confidence and is extremely introverted. So he’ll need a lot of help to get out of that shell and make his dream come true. Along with his trainer Chris Rider and several Strong Men of the past he’ll work towards his ultimate goal – To be a Strong Man performing at the legendary Coney Island stage. And to literally start BENDING STEEL.
Director Dave Carroll presents this documentary as a struggling over triumph, and indeed Chris does work towards that huge goal of his. However, the problem here is that Chris isn’t a compelling subject, nor is his story that interesting. The film struggles to find an interesting narrative but truth be told, it just isn’t there. It is sad to see him interact with his parents who don’t quite believe in him, as they continually tell us he’s given up on everything he’s ever tried (the one truly heartbreaking moment is when you realize his parents didn’t come to his Coney Island finale and in their place sits two empty chairs). There is a twinge of excitement finally at the Coney Island show, and it is intriguing when you see the Strongmen of the past but they’re not the true subject of the film (I also found every scene of Chris lounging in chair smoking a cigar in the dark unintentionally ridiculous). Overall, Bending Steel is a flat and struggling example of what a documentary subject should feel like, and how it shouldn't.
VERDICT: SKIP IT
Directed by Dave Carroll Starring Chris Schoeck, Chris Rider Country USA Content Disclaimer (Adult Language) For ticket and screening information: http://tribecafilm.com/festival/tickets
BOTTOM LINE: As a fan of Coney Island lore, I just was simply expecting much more.