Mr. Toilet: The World's #2 Man

Funny, not funny. That's the secret behind this oddball yet ultra serious documentary. How do you raise awareness about the world's struggles with proper sanitation? With a stream of horrible puns and a toilet costume of course. That's Jack Sim cracking potty humour from behind the throne, or inside the throne, or whatever, he is the throne. Fact is large populations are lacking what most take for granted: the ability to flush our troubles away. All jokes aside (for now), this is more than just an inconvenience issue, it is a health catastrophe on a substantial scale. Enter Sim, Jack Sim.

A disgruntled Singapore businessman in search of making a difference, Sim left his very lucrative past to conquer crap. Spearheading his non-profit WTO (World Toilet Organization) with his infectious optimism and winning smile, Jack is the perfect spokesperson for the task, yet is so feverishly gung-ho, he can't stay on point long enough to see many of his projects to completion.

The doc shifts from waste management to Jack's complicated internal motor. What makes him tick? How does he tick? And who does he tick off? it happens.

Augmented with cute cartoons and Jack's effervescent personality, we get a glimpse into the workings of a driven go-getter trying to save lives while balancing precarious family life, and all the while, there lurks an uncomfortable lesson about a touchy topic.

A royal flush.

This is a fantastic documentary that brings us into relationship with a fascinating (and sometimes problematic) hero while highlighting a critical, underreported story. The toilet taboo prevents evolution on a global sanitation issue, but this film breaks through them - just like its hero - with whimsy, charisma and heart-opening. Highly recommended!