National Geographic documentaries seduce the viewer into believing that the cameras easily catch the drama and spontaneity of the wild as easily as an American teenager takes a selfie. The reality is that for every adorable clip of baby meerkats playing freely on the savannah, the camera has spent thousands of hours filming everything from empty grass to zoo enclosures to zebras wandering listlessly in the heat. National Geographic doesn't necessarily set out to capture baby meerkats playing. It happens to capture them, and then builds the drama into the documentary the viewer sees.
John Wilson uses the same approach to documenting the wildlife of NYC. Because he doesn't know when he is going to catch the human equivalent of playing baby meerkats, he films everything. And then he tells the story the images he as gives him. It really doesn't matter if that is the story he set out to tell. In the process, he tells us about himself, the people of NYC, the human relationship with garbage, his love for his landlady, risotto. Etc.
The result is hilarious, and, at times, poignant. Wilson treats all of his subjects with dignity, respect and grace, saving the punch line to aim at himself.
Watch it. It will remind you that life is a wonderful/awful mix, and that even the wealthiest person on earth doesn't know what to do with old batteries,
