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Director Joe Garner/Executive Producer  Zach Galifianakis 

 

About Craigslist Joe:

http://www.craigslistjoe.com/project/about-craigslist-joe/

 

 

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Introduction to Craigslist Joe page

 

 

Tips and Techniques Handout

PR

Rubric

 

Film Analysis Questions

The Basics

• 3-4 pages
• MLA format and style
• 200 points

 

Requirements

• For this essay, you will be required to write a 3-4 page critical evaluation of the documentary film Craigslist Joe (2012). 
• Your evaluation must be based off of your own ORIGINAL impressions and analysis (not on other published reviews) 
• In the introduction of your essay, you must include a well-developed evaluation thesis statement that lists applicable criteria for evaluation.
• You must also include specific and relevant examples from the film and analyze these examples in order to support your thesis.
• Your essay must contain a Works Cited page for the film. 

 

 

Description

"Critical Evaluation" is interchangeable with "Review," but more specific to the rhetorical purpose of the review. An “evaluation” is meant to determine or set the value of something, and being “critical” means “to find fault or to judge with severity.” The terms overlap. The job of a critical evaluator is to defend a judgment about the value, or worth, of something. Some examples of critical evaluations are movie reviews, book reviews, political candidates, employees, musicians, agencies and organizations, laws and policies, concepts and theories. Some judgments can be positive and some negative, but rarely is a true critical judgment either all positive or all negative. If a subject is examined carefully, even the most beloved work of art has faults, and even the worst has positive attributes. The key is to examine the art closely, understand the criterion, and to avoid adding personal taste or emotion into the evaluation.

 

 

Method

Choose Fair, Accurate Criteria: Judge by the Same Standards

 

WOW chapter 9 teaches us about the rhetorical mode of evaluation and how we use evaluation arguments in order to judge the world around us. As we have seen in Bao Phi's essay "Why I Still Watch Lost," a critical evaluation of a T.V. drama is developed by certain standards of judgement.

 

Documentary films are also evaluated based on certain standards, and more specifically, because Craigslist Joe  is considered to be a social experiment documentary, it is important that you determine evaluative criteria which fit this genre of film.

 

 

How Do We Judge Documentaries?

The key in establishing criteria is to choose the ones necessary to measure the quality of the subject and that can be fairly applied to all subjects in a given category, or genre.

 

In "Assessing Creative Media's Social Impact," Diana Barrett and Shelia Leddy write that "a well-made documentary film," especially one with a compelling narrative would serve "as a catalyst to change minds, encourage viewers to to alter entrenched behaviors and to start, inform or reenergize  social movements!" 

http://edlab.tc.columbia.edu/files/ImpactPaper.pdf

 

 

Thus, when we evaluate a social experiment documentary like Craigslist Joe, we often judge its quality by examining how well the film does (or does not do)  the following:

 

• fairly and thoroughly explore the topic 
• fully and accurately devise a social experiment that yields valid, unbiased conclusions--an experiment that is feasible/that mirrors real life 
• shed light on something that is often overlooked
• creatively approach a problem/situation/phenomenon
•  increase public awareness by bringing light to issues and stories that may have otherwise been unknown or not often thought about (its educational value)
• connect with the rhetorical situation (the social, cultural, and economic conversations around us)
• encourage individual thought
• encourage public engagement 
• reflect personal narratives in a way that connect with broader social movements, problems, and change 

 

Of course, the way that documentary films do such things is also something to consider.

The central purpose of a documentary is not to entertain (like a comedy would); however, if it is well-done, it should "entertain" its audience by appealing to pathos--by engaging with the emotions, values, and ideals of its audience in interesting and creative ways.

 

In other words a documentary is, " a film that has a compelling narrative that draws viewers in and can engage them in the issue and illustrate complex problems in ways that statistics cannot" (Barrett and Leddy 6).

 

Documentaries accomplish their goals in a variety of ways; however, here is a list to help you identify the possible modes, narrative strategies, and point of view that directors employ in documentary films: 

 

Expository: lecturing, overtly didactic, e.g. with a personal presenter or an explanatory voice-over.

Observational: like a "fly on the wall," the camera, microphone and film crew seem not to be disturbing the scene or even to be noticed by the participants.

Participatory or interactive: the film crew takes part in the action or chain of events.

Reflexive: the film exposes and discusses its own role as a film (e.g. the ethics or conditions of filmmaking) alongside the treatment of the case or subject.

Performative: the film crew creates many of the events and situations to be filmed by their own intervention or through events carried out for the sake of the film.

Poetic: the aesthetic aspects, the qualities of the form and the sensual appeals are predominant.

Ways of being true. Documentaries seem to have a certain obligation towards "truth." This may be understood, however, in different ways:

Correspondence: statements and details of film are not lies or fiction but in accordance with actual or historical facts, events and persons.

Coherence: the film constitutes a well-argued, non-contradictory whole.

Pragmatic or conventionalist view: the film is in line with predominant views and general, long termed discursive practice.

Relativism or constructivism: as you like, or how we make sense of things.

Illumination theory of truth: to become enlightened, to see and hear and understand more, to become inspired and gain insight (perhaps recollection).

More points to consider:

Intentions of the filmmaker: enthusiasm and commitment, the filmmaker wants to explore, to probe and to show us something important or otherwise overlooked; devoted to a cause or to people, trying to make a difference (not just making money, having fun or exposing herself).

Subject matter, themes or content: something of importance and relevance; historical, social or natural phenomena; persons and places of significance. 

Expectations of the (general) audience: authenticity, insight, disclosure, something about real people and problems, learning something.

Target groups (implied): general public (public service), or segments with a more specialized interest and knowledge on the subject in question.

Ethics: we expect truthfulness, not lies or distortion, even when the film is committed to high ideals and values. Propaganda is over the line (difficult to define too, my provocative suggestion is: "propaganda is a documentary made by my enemy"). The documentary may be engaged and enthusiastic, but should be open about its preferences, sympathies and presuppositions. "Neutrality" or "objectivity" should be understood as problematic, but a well-balanced view is welcomed. The film may reflect its own intervening and perhaps ethically problematic role in relation to participants and general context. Carefulness, but also boldness in addressing tabooed subjects.

Communicative function: to inform, discuss, engage, enlighten, intervene, explore, express, disturb and commit - more so than to merely entertain, amuse, distract, conform or confirm (e.g. a religious or political community).

Labeling: sponsors, critics, distributors, professionals, scholars, curators, librarians, editors of TV- and film-programs would characterize this as a documentary.

Popular, lay opinion, everyday language: films received and talked about in accordance with the tradition, similar to other so-called documentaries or non-fiction films.

Context of actual use: education, public service (as image or part of an obligation for the distributor), debate forum, campaigns, discussions and pastime entertainment (e.g. in the cabin on an airplane flight).

Style and form: often realism, perhaps with a reportage-like style, interviews, a rough style, lighting and settings and sound appear natural and not carefully controlled (contrary to smooth and slick lighting, camera movements, montage and continuity of classic Hollywood style). Often an argumentative, exploring or investigative attitude, often thematic more than dramatic.

Relation to major genres and art: it is not fiction; it is a piece of rhetoric.  It may be highly artistic and poetic, but seems more like art with a purpose than art for art's own sake. Epics, lyrics and drama seem to serve the didactic aspect.

Recordings: on location, authentic settings and props, real time, real sound, no actors or acting, but actual people (or animals, in nature documentaries) being themselves. Drama and narrative appear not imposed on the scenes, but emerging from the actual (pro-filmic) events.

Editing: the rhetorical structure appears to be more important than ordinary dramatic continuity; the rate of manipulation and rearrangement of picture and sound seems low. A voice-over commentary or text-streaming is more likely than extensive use of music. . The mixing of heterogeneous material (e.g. recordings from a different time or location) is accounted for.

Context of viewing or distribution: e.g. the Discovery Channel, educational TV, TV-slots or festivals announced as documentary, educational institutions, films shown within organizations and companies.

Importance and evaluation: In terms of context and communicative qualities, the film makes a considerable contribution towards a better world…

 

http://pov.imv.au.dk/Issue_22/section_1/artc1A.html

 

 

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Thinking about Your Argument

When you write this critical evaluation, you need to develop a lens through which to develop your argument--a specific focus to guide your evaluation.

 

In other words, you want to do more than argue that it is a "good" or "bad" documentary. Good or bad is much too vague. Furthermore, a true critical judgment is rarely either all positive or all negative; it is much more complex, and your thesis needs to reflect that complexity. 

 

Thus, you'll want to pay attention to the elements of the film that are especially interesting to you and let your evaluation develop out of those interests and opinions. Here are some directions that you might follow in order to focus your critical evaluation of Craigslist Joe:

 

• The film is interested in exploring the positive potential of social media as a vehicle for bringing people together and fostering communication and connection. How well and to what extent does the film explore this potential?  Does Garner's film offer valid conclusions about this "good" role of social media? What aspects of this issue does the film overlook?

 

• Another direction would be to evaluate to what extent the film depicts a social experiment. Is Garner's experiment as open-ended as it seems? Are his experiences universal? What factors may have skewed the conclusions?  Would there be other issues to explore if the test subject (Joe) was someone else?  If his experience wasn't universal, then what are we to make of the film's conclusions? Does Garner fairly represent the type of person in need of charity? Does that even matter?

 

• The film also focuses on exploring the generosity and goodwill of the American people. Does the film adequately explore this topic? Would you say that the people Joe meets serve as a diverse enough sample of America? Or can we not make a conclusion about American goodwill and generosity based on a sample of Craigslist users? Do these people (active Craigslist users) represent the typical American?

 

• The film also touches on our growing reliance on the shared economy. You might choose to explore how or to what extent the film does or does not explore such realities and experiences.

 

 

Your essay need not be limited to these topics--you may develop other avenues to explore; however, you need to make sure that you explore the film critically. That is, your purpose is not to compile a  list of the good and bad qualities of the film but to assert a specific argument about its quality based on the standards that you choose and support that argument by analyzing examples from the film and connecting those examples with social, cultural, and economic issues that we care about (like Phi does in his article). 

 

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Critical Evaluations are all around us 

 

We come across reviews of films, TV shows, and books on a daily basis. For example, The New York Times publishes many of these.

 

Here are several examples of thesis statements from critical reviews of various documentary films:

 

On another social experiment documentary ( Super Size Me): 

 

Though the informative criticism and Spurlock’s hilarious ordeal were well worth the six dollars it cost to see the movie, the film failed to address one of the biggest pulls of McDonald’s - its affordability. This is a relevant issue, especially now, when the economy is weak and jobs are scarce. Yet Spurlock focuses his wit more on the ad campaigns and political lobbying of the industry than on its economic appeal.

 

 

By interviewing various people, carefully using a logical approach by documenting Spurlock’s activity and health during the experiment, providing plentiful statistics and information, making appeals to the audience’s emotions such as disgust and humor, and establishing credibility and trust from the audience, Morgan Spurlock argues in his documentary film Super Size Me that the consumption of fast foods are largely responsible for many Americans’ health problems today.

 

 

or this one on HBO's recent Beyonce documentary:

 

Beyoncé: Life Is but a Dream is as contrived as Madonna: Truth or Dare, but probably for the good reason that it is neither daring nor entirely truthful. It’s an infomercial, not just about Beyoncé’s talent onstage but her authenticity behind the scenes. She is a people-pleasing diva and she wants to keep it that way.

This documentary doesn’t really convey what life as a celebrity is like, but it does say a lot about how this celebrity would like to be seen.

 

 

Also, here are 2 other sample reviews that provide critical evaluations of documentaries:

Sample Reviews 

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Essay III Tips and Techniques       

Critical Evaluation Argument of Craigslist Joe (3-4 pages)

 

Introduction

• Engages with the reader
• Identifies title of the film (in Italics), the date, the director and the executive producer
• Includes a short summary of the film
• Presents cultural/social/economic context—the larger conversation that encircles the film

Thesis Statement (included in introduction)

• Identifies suitable evaluation criteria a documentary film (how are you assigning value to the film?
• Develops a specific lens to evaluate the film—includes a balanced evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses.
• Serves as a strong road map (enough for a 3-4 page essay, contains 3-4 main points)
• Is well-written—parallel, clear, and mechanically sound

 

Argument Organization: You can choose how to sequence your main points in your thesis statement, but here are the most conventional organizational methods:

 

1. Most important to least important conclusions you make about the film

2. If your critique is more positive than negative, then present the negative points first and the positive last.

3. If your critique is more negative than positive, then present the positive points first and the negative last.

However you choose to order these points in your thesis statement, it is vital that you arrange them in the most logical order and that the body paragraphs of your essay follow the order that you lay out in your thesis.

 

Body Paragraphs (3-4 total depending on number of criteria in thesis statement/road map)

• Begins with a clear topic sentence identifying evaluation criteria
• Adheres to basic paragraph conventions (unity, coherence, and development-CWH Chapter 5)
• Offers specific examples from the film in order to support each criterion
• Closely analyzes examples from the film to support evaluation argument
• Draws on cultural/social/economic conversation that encircles the film
• Follows order laid out in the thesis/road map

 

Conclusion

• Is well-developed
• Reiterates purpose in a new, enlightening way
• Creates a lasting impression
• Answers “So What? Who Cares?”

 

Works Cited Page (final page of essay, not included in 3-4 page requirement)

• Correctly formatted- Includes header, title centered, double-spaced, hanging indent (page 570 in WOW)
• Follows film entry format (Page 561 in WOW)

 

 

 

Composition Checklist

 

1. Aside from the brief synopsis in the introduction, avoid summarizing the film. 

This is a critical evaluation not a summary, and your audience (us) has seen the film. Your job as an evaluator is not to tell the reader what the film is about but instead to explore the reasons for your evaluation. Thus, the body of the essay should deliver focused examples that support your premises/ reasons why you think the film is quality, or not.

 

2. Avoid using the pronoun “You,” which directly refers to the reader. Instead, use terms like “audiences” or “viewers” or “readers,” depending on the subject.

 

3. Be sparing in using first-person pronouns, though they sometimes work. First of all, there is no need to use first-person announcements such as “I think” or “I feel” or “I believe” or variants because it’s implicit to the essay form that these are your thoughts. Instead of announcing your idea, just state the idea. Instead of, “I believe that Avatar is the best movie,” simply state, “Avatar is the best movie of the year” and then support the idea with reasons.

            Also, using too much self-reference may make the essay seem less objective, based more on "feelings" rather than "reasons" that are based on evidence and example. The purpose of this essay is to avoid evaluating the subject based on personal taste and instead to evaluate the subject from a critical, objective, emotionally detached perspective. Self-reference works against this objective, or at least appears so from the reader's perspective. With all this said, reviewers sometimes use the first-person "I" when describing their actual viewing or reading experience.

 

4. Write about the film in present tense.

  IE: Craigslist Joe reveals Americans' desire for community.

 Throughout his journey, Garner invites his new Craigslist friends to join him for a New Year's Eve celebration.

 

5. Avoid clichés

Clichés are words or phrases, and sometimes images, that are so overused they become either meaningless or irritating, or both. Here are some common movie-review clichés to avoid: A triumph of the human spirit, keeps viewers on the edges of their seats, A Must-See, etc.

 

7. Use concrete language. Instead of making a general statement like “The conversation between Joe and Mohammed’s family is very moving,” try revitalizing the images. Show, don’t tell, like in this example:

 As Joe sits in Mohammed’s living room and shares food and conversation with Mohammed’s family, Joe learns about how naturalized American citizens struggle to feel a sense of belonging in a country that discriminates against them. At the end of the visit, Joe’s eyes fill with tears as he confesses, “I’ll never forget this night for the rest of my life.”

 

8. Your essay title should not simply be the title of the film. In the first place, that’s technically plagiarism, titling the essay the same as an already-titled movie. More importantly, there’s no focus in the title. Make sure to add your point of view to the title. Use a colon, as in “Subject: It’s Good.” That will give the reader the purpose of the essay, what is being written ABOUT the subject. Example:

Private Violence: Narrowly Focused on Hope

*In your essay title, remember to italicize the title of the film and capitalize all major words

 

 

 

 

 

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References

http://journal.media-culture.org.au/index.php/mcjournal/article/viewArticle/444

http://webs.anokaramsey.edu/wrobel/1121/Course%20Materials/Web%20Lectures/Critical%20Evaluation%20Essay%20Lecture.htm