American Anarchist

The friend who I watched this with summed it up nicely "This is why we need the cookbook. To threaten any film school or studio that would produce something like this"

This film left me with the feeling that in later life the director Charlie Siskel will be embarrassed by his work. The very intriguing subject matter is approached with the sophistication of a ratings hungry 24 hour news channel.

This documentary is interesting in the moments where William Powell is talking about the history of his relationship with his titular handbook. Some of the questions posed by the documentarian are well thought out and biting. You can tell that Powell and his wife are not comfortable with the presence of Siskel in their lives because he is bring back something that they have tried hard to move past. There are other moments where Siskel is bating Powell into a revelation that never comes.