Common Ground

Audience Reviews

View More

Jonathan B 12/08/2023 Packed with great information and storytelling! Stunning visuals, amazing narration, clear explanations. This movie is sobering, practical, hopeful and inspiring, all at the same time. Ill be watching it again! See more Heather 10/11/2023 Finally, a movie that doesnt just tell us everything weve done to destroy our planet with ominous warnings of doom if we dont do something to change but a thoughtful, easy to understand, well laid out and clear SOLUTION. This film should be played in every high school in the country. See more Cynthia H @RT40615998 Aug 13 I’m only halfway through Ground Swell, but the soundtrack already undermines its credibility. When the film moves to Kenya to portray the Samburu, it uses music from Ghana and Southern Africa as generic "African music." Africa is a continent, not one interchangeable culture or sound. If a documentary filmed in Italy used Swiss or Portuguese music simply because it was "European," it would be obviously absurd. What makes it worse: once the film moves to India, suddenly they are perfectly capable of using Indian music. So why is cultural specificity important everywhere except Africa? Finding Kenyan music or even music connected to the Samburu is not difficult. For a documentary presenting real people and places, this feels culturally lazy and remarkably unauthentic. See more Nevaeh C @gracecrayton22 Feb 10 Common Ground explores soil as the literal and symbolic foundation for our food systems and climate. Directors Josh and Rebecca Tickell move beyond policy to highlight the human cost of industrial agriculture through the stories of farmers and survivors like Rick Clark and Dewayne "Lee" Johnson. These narratives transform abstract regulations into visceral moments of accountability and grief. The film avoids despair, instead cultivating cautious hope rooted in regeneration. This balance is mirrored in the cinematography, which treats the land as a living participant, contrasting barren industrial plots with the vibrant growth of regenerative farms. Narrated by activists like Jason Momoa, Donald Glover, and Laura Dern through letters to future generations, the documentary frames environmental health as a shared responsibility. Ultimately, Common Ground is less a lecture and more an invitation to repair our relationship with the land and the lives entangled with it. See more Tacitus M @Bee_Love Jan 16 Some great ideas about regenerating the soil and farming in tune with nature vs industrial farming. Some completely irrational nonsense as well. Leah Penniman is completely delusional about everything. I got a good laugh listening to her. See more Maggie B @RT11899578 Oct 10 From climate challenges to community struggles, it is clear that the way our world produces food has affected the entire Earth. Little did I know, farmers across the country were already practicing the very method that could reverse these issues, while also healing our beloved planet. Directed by Joshua and Rebecca Tickell, Common Ground completely opened my eyes to a movement that is not just about saving the Earth, but also about creating a better life for the people who live here. The film presents regenerative agriculture as a solution to these struggles, which is a farming practice that revives natural resources and works in harmony with Earth. The film ties together a number of stories from regenerative farmers and highly-educated activists who are challenging the industrial food system. By focusing on their personal experiences that compelled them to advocate for change, the film shows how switching to regenerative farming can provide hope for a sustainable future. As a viewer, I could feel the true importance and the weight this movement has on our planet. From cancer-causing pesticides appearing in our drinking water to drying lands due to climate change and CO2 emissions, the film describes how these current issues raise concerns for everyone across the globe. However, Common Ground supplements each of these problems with hopeful, feasible, and current solutions that transcend feelings of positivity and motivation to those watching. Furthermore, the cinematography done by Simon Balderas and Joaquim Pujol was absolutely remarkable. With sweeping aerial views of gorgeous landscapes, candid footage of working farmers with great personalities, and powerful time-lapses that capture land coming back to life, the film truly made me feel like I was a part of the stories that were being told. Overall, Common Ground is both moving and empowering. With unforgettable visuals and inspiring solutions, it shows that a better future is not only possible but already happening, and we can all be a part of it! I highly recommend it to anyone, as all audiences will be impacted by the messages and artistic elements that are incorporated into this astonishing cinematic experience. See more Read all reviews

Common Ground

My Rating

Read More Read Less WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW POST RATING