February Films: Man on Wire

I wound down before tomorrow’s big race by watching an understated documentary, my fifth movie of the month: Man on Wire, a compelling study of the French daredevil Philippe Petit’s successful attempt in 1974 to walk a high wire between the two towers of the World Trade Center. The movie looks at Petit’s motivations, skills, and earlier feats (walking between the towers of the Notre Dame) and effectively combines actual footage, recreated scenes, and interviews to tell the story of the 1974 feat – which is hard to believe, even as you see it happening. This movie’s Oscar is fully deserved.

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