That Sugar Film is the documentary that doesn’t sweeten the deal for sugar addicts
REVIEW: That Sugar Film is a combo of documentary and infotainment issuing a timely warning about the perils of excessive sugar consumption.
Leigh Paatsch
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That Sugar Film (PG)
Director: Damon Gameau (documentary debut)
Starring: Damon Gameau, Stephen Fry, Hugh Jackman, Brenton Thwaites.
Rating : ***
The sour side of all that sweetness
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Having banished all refined sugars from his diet a number of years ago, Australian actor-filmmaker Damon Gameau decided to explore what would happen if he suddenly got back on the sweet stuff.
The end result is That Sugar Film, a Super Size Me-style combo meal of documentary and infotainment issuing a timely warning about the perils of excessive sugar consumption.
To drive home his point, Gameau embarks on a personal research project which will ultimately impact upon his general wellbeing.
After consulting with a team of medical and nutrition experts, Gameau deliberately subjects his body to the daily sugar intake of the average young Australian male (quoted in the film as 40 teaspoons per day).
What is most interesting about this exercise — it would be wrong on a number of fronts to label it an ‘experiment’ — is that Gameau chooses to limit his diet to foods which are primarily marketed to the public as ‘healthy.’
There is a wide array of food products (not just the likes of breakfast cereals, flavoured yoghurts and fruit bars) that are careful to keep their high sugar content on the down-low.
Their swift effect upon Gameau’s physical and mental state is startling. His waistline expands. Energy levels peak and plummet in quick succession. So too do his moods.
While the methodology behind Gameau’s mission would not stand up to moderate scientific scrutiny, it does not detract from That Sugar Film’s ability to provoke a welcome debate on a worrying issue for us all.
The production is sure to strike a chord with younger viewers who may not be aware of the dangers posed by too much sugar.
Innovative use of graphics, a balanced selection of expert interviewees and the occasional entertaining interjection from the likes of Stephen Fry and Hugh Jackman all add up to a package deserving of a place on your movie-going menu.
That Sugar Film is screening at a wide variety of locations around Australian throughout the month of March. Check in to www.thatsugarfilm.com for up-to-date session times and locations, as well as exclusive Q & A sessions compared by Damon Gameau in-person.
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