Go Further

Ron Mann (Grass) documents Woody Harrelson and a group of his Hippy friends and Activists on their journey across California, on bikes and in their 60's inspired hemp-oil fueled "spirit bus", to promote environmentalism, biofuel, organic farming, veganism, hemp & marijuana, yoga and showing how a small group of people can make an inspirational difference when it comes to changing minds and countering the destructive habits that humanity has come to develop.

I'll end with one of my favourite quotes, from Jung: "Our rationalistic attitude leads us to believe we can work wonders with international organizations, legislation, and other well-meant devices. But in reality only a change in the attitude of the individual can bring about a renewal in the spirit of nations. Everything begins with the individual."

Following the path of Ken Kesey in his Merry Pranksters trek in the 60s, Go Further, a Canadian documentary by activist Ron Mann (Grass) follows actor Woody Harrelson and his friends as they travel on a bio-fuelled touring bus on a "Simple Organic Living" tour. The Seattle to Los Angeles tour stops at college campuses along the way to speak about alternatives to environmentally damaging practices and the need for conversion to organic food consumption. The group of travelers includes a yoga teacher, a raw food chef, a college student, and a production assistant on the television show Will and Grace. The assistant, Steve Clark, begins the journey as a junk food addict but, assisted by a hastily devised love interest, converts to an organic diet by the end of the trip.

Accompanied by a splendid soundtrack that features eco-minded musicians such as Bob Weir, Michael Franti, Nathalie Merchant, String Cheese Incident, and Dave Matthews, Harrelson pays homage to the sixties, stopping off to meet Ken Kesey shortly before the author's death in 2001. Along the way, the tour encounters some hostility, especially in logging towns but they also meet like-minded people who are doing their part to protect the environment. For example, we meet a man who runs a paper company that doesn't require cutting down trees, an organic farmer who regards nature as his partner, and a lecturer who urges his students to use humor as a strategy for confrontation.

While I certainly support the idea of curbing environmental abuse and wholeheartedly endorse the notion that each individual can make a difference, Go Further falls far short of making a convincing case. Ideas are thrown out in sound bites that are never challenged or fully explored and the film speaks only to the already converted. Woody rails against Bovine Growth Hormone and claims that there is blood and pus in the milk we drink but ignores the more serious fact that BGH is banned in Canada because of suspected links to cancer, diabetes, and immune system problems. The film is well intentioned and funny in parts but is basically a superficial sideshow that is a sitting duck for ridicule from those opposed to its ideas. While there is definitely a need for a hard-hitting investigative documentary into environmentally unsound policies, Go Further, unfortunately, is not it.

and this is important, especially in the U.S.; where many people are still arguing that "Supersize Me" is anti-capitalism propaganda. Please. Maybe sometimes the message is presented in an extreme fashion, but if this is what it takes to make some people realize that eating McDonald's, drinking Coca-Cola and eating junk food clearly causes medical illness, then I am all for it.

The alternative fuel message is also something people should be able to learn about. Other than the sales of Hybrid cars, I do not see many newspapers covering this subject. Why?.

Harrelson and his group travel from Seattle to Santa Barbara, we view the beautiful sequoias, learn why they are being decimated. While another reviewer mentioned the clichéd, hippie slant to it (we could do without Steve Clark saying "dude" every 20 minutes), this can be bypassed in the name of information. Alternative thinking is a GOOD thing. Once one questions, and changes their diet, they are at least helping themselves and the environment.

Put the clichés aside and learn a few of the issues; I for one find it appalling that the U.S. allows bovine growth hormone in milk, while Canada has banned it, due to links with diabetes and cancer. If you look up statistics from the CDC obese kids in America are on the uprise. The trend will continue unless people face some facts. While some people object to the word "activism" we need people like Harrelson, who have the money and resources, to present alternative ideas to the audience.

Hope he does a sequel to this about fuel and its destruction to the environment, and the reasons Americans are still paying top dollar for oil. 9/10

This visionary movie was ahead of its time. Too few people saw it or recognized the importance of simple organic living. Today with concern about global warming and peak oil, people are more primed for the ideas promoted by Ron & Woody.

Bike4Peace would like to re-release Go Further in the style that Robert Greenwold releases his documentaries, encouraging home viewings with discussions to build our movement toward a continental critical mass cycle experience. What steps would we take to get the rights to do this?

Vernon Huffman 425-438-8985 http://www.bike4peace.org

Caught this at the Chicago film festival and loved it so much that I saw it twice. This journal about an enlightening road trip has so many wonderful moments that even if you don't agree with its principles, you will still have a good time. I discovered some life-changing tips, which hardly even happens at the movies. But don't go for the message, go for the good time. Great musical interludes too!