Percy vs. Goliath movie review 2021

Available on April 30, 2021, in theaters and on VOD, including Amazon Prime and Google.

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RATING: PG-13

LENGTH: 1 hour 39 minutes

IN A NUTSHELL:

I used to use gallons of Round-Up on my 2-acre yard when I lived in Georgia. It did a great job killing weeds and now we’re learning that it also kills humans with cancer. This dramatic movie is based on the true story about a Canadian farmer who battled Monsanto all the way to the Supreme Court in Canada about their pesticide-laden, Genetically Modified seeds.

Percy Vs Goliath tells the true underdog story of a small-town farmer who, in 1998, challenged a major crop conglomerate after being accused of using the company’s genetically modified product. Despite having little-to-no money to fight the legal battle, Percy Schmeiser became a folk hero among similar disenfranchised farms who were all fighting similar battles around the world. If you’re getting really tired of big corporations and big governments bullying the Everyday Man, you’ll find this dramatic telling to be interesting and educational.

THINGS I LIKED:

This movie’s title is a nod to the 2009 documentary David vs Monsanto.
There is something truly magnetic about Christopher Walken, no matter what role he plays. In this movie, he’s a third-generation canola farmer and the salt of the earth. He’s a believable “little guy”, trying to fight “Goliath”, the ballsy Monsanto company that sues him for a TON of money over sketchy claims. In real life, Percy Schmeiser was actually pretty successful and even owned a gas station and a farm equipment dealership before Monstanto became the local bully. Still, Percy was somewhat shy and didn’t seek the limelight. Walken shows restraint and respect to the real man and doesn’t overdo the sentimentality of his role.
I’ve adored Zach Braff ever since he starred in the goofy medical sitcom Scrubs – The Complete First Season. He plays a much different character in this film and does a great job as an inexperienced attorney who walks with a cane. We never learn about his physical ailments, but we see his heart.
There’s a lovely soundtrack that provides a folksy background to the story about this agricultural region of Canada.
I always love getting to travel in the movies. It was fascinating and sad to learn about all of the suicides in India due to similar lawsuits in that country. I also loved that the movie showed the connection farmers have, no matter what country they live in. Their struggles to put food on our tables is real and honorable.
We get to see some beautiful, widescreen compositions that feature the farmland in Canada and India.
The movie does a very good job pointing out the scary truth of how agribusiness and greedy corporations can easily control our delicate food supply. It just might make viewers think twice about the food they’re putting in their mouths.
You get to see pictures of the real Percy Schmeiser and his wife at the end of the movie, as well as learn a little bit more about them through some text on the screen.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

Overall, the movie is good, just not as good as you want it to be. It somehow misses the mark of being full-blown epic. It falls FAR short of the movie Erin Brockovich. In fact, there is a little Erin Brockovich moment like when Julia Roberts’ character offers contaminated water to the lawyers. In that movie, it was powerful. In this movie, it just felt like a copy-cat effort.
Despite the heated topic, the movie doesn’t pack the emotional punch it should.
The son is a constant, frowning rain cloud. His wife is always a happy giggler. Their daughter, however, is adorable and represents the hope of farming in the future.
Some of the writing and editing felt weak.
There isn’t much humor.
Rebecca’s activist motivations feel mixed and forced at times.
Percy’s wife, Louise, played by Roberta Maxwell vacillates between being supportive and preventing Percy from fighting the good fight. At times, she appears to be a loving, equal partner, while other times she feels like a submissive mouse of a wife. Roberta Maxwell is actually an award-winning stage actress.
Some of the courtroom scenes are a bit dull and lifeless.
One important point that seems to be missing from the movie is the fact that Roundup is extremely toxic and has now been linked to cancer. Just last month, I received a letter in the mail, inviting me to jump on a class-action suit against Roundup if I had experienced negative health effects from it.