Educational Media Reviews Online

Ariel is more than a documentary about a man who loses his legs in an accident with an industrial machine. It is more than a story of a man who insists on designing and making his own prosthetic legs. It is also more than a narration of how his disability impacts his marriage and family though it is all of these things. The documentary begins and ends with and overhead view of Ariel transferring himself from his wheel chair over bathroom fixtures to a chair in the shower. Between we see him shop, barbeque, eat with his family, celebrate his recovery with his friends and family, struggle to take public transportation, design and help build prosthetics, visit his doctor and physical therapist and witness a difficult conversation with his wife about a separation and the custody of their children.

Bari approaches the subject of Ariel’s accident and recovery with an artistic eye and an imaginative telling of what could have been a simple story to create a film that can be interpreted on many levels. There is the basic story line of Ariel’s accident and the circumstances that follow but there are also creative sections of the film told through magical realism that give the viewer a glimpse into the inner world of the character. At first these episodes of magic are startling and a bit disorienting but they become an expected ingredient of the tale and effectively illustrate the evolution of Ariel’s character more powerfully than simple dialog or narration could speak.

The film is in Spanish with English subtitles which are at times difficult to see. It is very slow moving as well. It could be useful in a course on film making or in courses in nursing, social work, and rehabilitation programs to give students a window into the world of prospective clients. It is suitable for public, community college and academic libraries that support programs in the disciplines listed.