Who is the intended audience of Al Gore's latest outing? In this day and age, it feels like he's preaching to the choir. The idiots that don't believe in climate change aren't going to listen to Al Gore of all people. And the rest of us don't need convincing. What he can offer us is the method--how should we talk about climate change to most effectively convince the non believers? I think that is the topic of his seminars, of which we catch glimpses in the style of his previous Oscar-winning movie. We also see him out in the field, talking to real people about the effects of climate change. The best part of the movie is the major progress we've made since his previous film: really the only need for a sequel is the Paris Agreement. This part of the movie unfolds like a drama. I think the movie could have been very effective if it focused just on Paris, maybe more exciting too.
The other function this movie is introspective. Al Gore feels guilty. He's trying to repent, to rectify his mistake. He was so close to the presidency and what he sees as his failure has resulted in the US turning its back on the environment. This, too, could have made for a more interesting movie. But it's a very small part. What we do see is Gore hustling. He doesn't have to represent America's goodwill in the world, but he does. He is a grand negotiator, trying to strike a compromise to save our planet. Perhaps he has been even more effective now, able to focus on the climate unrestrained by politics, than he would have been as president.
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