Forks Over Knives

I would rate this a 10 for the information contained in the film.

But I'd rate it a 2 for filmmaking.

But the information is more important, thus the non-averaged score of 8.

This is one of those movies where you have such amazing and important information being given to the viewer, but it's done in such a badly constructed way that it's difficult to watch. The narration is about as boring as any I've every heard. There's no narrative line, so to speak. The filmmaker had no idea how to tell the amazing story he was trying to tell. And the sound is truly awful at times. But that said, the information contained here is something we ALL should see and hear and understand. So, if you put it on, and are immediately turned off as to how bad it is, stick with it. You will learn how to live a longer healthier life, and for that we can forgive the bad filmmaking.

I am 99% vegetarian (I occasionally eat fish) but not necessarily planning to go vegan. Still I always like to get more information on plant-based diets and I appreciated Forks Over Knives for having a different take on the topic than The Game Changers for example. While the latter had great production and entertainment values, this documentary feels more grounded; however, they are still pretty biased and either exaggerate or ignore certain facts to fit the narrative. That's too bad as I'm aligned with everything those documentaries are about and I wish for once they would stick to the facts 100% as I believe that's enough to drive the point across. But as flawed as they may be, I am thankful these documentaries are helping the discussion around nutrition get started among the general public.

I don't know exactly what to praise first.

First, there are the facts. They are very important. The doctors featured in this documentary have conducted numerous thorough nutritional studies (among them the likely most extensive nutritional study ever performed, the 'China study') that present compelling proof for a simple fact: Eating animal-based foods will make you sick. Eating a diet of whole food, low fat, plant based foods, will keep you healthy. However, they did not just find out this big secret, they used it very successfully over decades to treat - and cure - severely ill patients that had already been 'given up' by conventional medicine. When I first heard this story and saw the proof (I read the book before viewing the film), I asked myself 'Why did nobody ever tell me that?' The documentary answers this question, and you will not like the answer (it has a lot to do with what is more important for the US government, the financial well-being of its big food companies or the health of its citizens)

Second, there is the movie. Apart from bringing very important information, it is well made and entertaining. Nobody likes to hear talking heads reciting scientific data, regardless how important it is, for the length of a movie. The way it is made, weaving stories with background information, makes it worth viewing also from the entertainment point of view.

And third, there's the fact that the entire film crew (producers, directors, cameramen, cutters, even the interns on the set) and the composer of the music score all adopted a lifestyle based on plant based nutrition. If this does not tell you that the information presented is credible and convincing, then what does? Go see the movie. If possible, go for one of the pre-screenings or see it later in a cinema near you. And most likely also at the Academy Awards presentation...

Best regards, Andy

Forks Over Knives (2011)

** (out of 4)

In the same tradition as FOOD, INC. and SUPER SIZE ME comes yet another low-budget documentary trying to warn you against the evils of dairy and meat. This time out we see various experts talking about how eating meat products or drinking milk can actually lead to a wide range of illnesses and we see charts on how unhealthy little rats and mice are after given these products for several months. I'm not going to knock anything that is said here because I think it's true that a lot of people are getting deathly ill due to the foods they are eating. I think in this day and age it's just become common sense. There are many good documentaries out there and there are some very bad ones. FORKS OVER KNIVES falls somewhere in the middle because it's heart is in the right place but I must admit that I was completely bored from start to finish. The film is just one great big lecture where we're told, beaten and then told again to stay away from these foods. We hear from a woman suffering from diabetes who stops eating certain things and she's cured. We hear that people in China used to be very healthy but they got fast food restaurants and now they are gaining weight. We learn that Americans are very much overweight and eat too much food. We even learn that cows are given so much grain to fatten them up that you could actually take a portion of this grain and feed every hungry person in the world. That there was probably the most interesting idea in the film. I must admit that I prefer my documentaries to show me evidence and not just trying to beat a message into my head. I also admit that I like to hear from both sides. After all, for every "expert" that tells you ABC are good for you there's an expert who says ABC are bad for you. This documentary is one sided and it likes to beat you with its message. Also, I thought the film looked rather poor and at times was just slowly paced that you wanted to push pause and go out and get a burger.

This is an extraordinary documentary movie, which clarifies the truth about the relationship of the food we eat and our health. Everything is correct and precisely documented. As a physician and surgeon, who is "not" vegetarian, and with 30 years of experience in one of the most reputable institution in my specialty I can testify that the food and activity that we have WILL affects our health without a doubt.

As much as our eating habits and dietary intakes are in most part, or at least 30 to 50% is based on animal-based products this information opens the viewer's mind to other options, which in some cases have proved to be a lifesaver, according to presented documents and angiograms. In all fairness, the producer shows the opposite opinion and their views and leaves the decision to the viewer to decide. This movie certainly did not show a one-sided view of vegan life style. It presented the views of other people who in fact are proponents of "balanced" diet too. In short, I recommended it extremely highly. Physicians should watch this movie, so do their patients and relatives.