SXSW Review: ‘Plastic People’

By Abe Friedtanzer

How much do we actually want to know about the products we use? It’s easy to write off potentially problematic labor processes or ingredients for the sake of convenience, though that’s probably not the smartest idea long-term. Those who would rather not turn a blind eye to unnerving science and would prefer to be in the know will find plenty to learn - and be endlessly disturbed about - in the documentary Plastic People, which dissects just how far we’ve already gone in terms of our indulgence in a problematic industry…

Most people know that plastic isn’t great, but they also assume that most plastics can be recycled and therefore can’t be all that bad, or certainly not as bad as less eco-friendly alternatives. But what Plastic People focuses on is how plastic breaks down into “microplastics,” which have done a magnificent job of polluting just about everything on this planet. Even the most naive consumers might think twice when they learn that microplastic particles have been found in our bodies, the ultimate consequence of using something destructive that has now permeated our own wellbeing.

As a science-focused documentary, this film isn’t always riveting, but it does address a very serious area of concern and do so in a thorough and clearly researched manner. Eighty-time minutes feels like more than enough time to present this film’s findings, even if it likely only scratches the surface of the problem that humanity now faces. Director Ben Addelman describes this film’s subject as “shockingly urgent,” and it is indeed hard to imagine any viewer being entirely unphased by the alarm this film sounds.

What immediate effect it will have remains more of a question mark, though if someone who doesn’t believe in environment-adjacent science was to actually sit down to watch this film, they would probably take at least a moment to consider the findings showcased. It is hard to digest but that’s only because it seems far too horrific and chilling to be true, and that’s part of why Addelman and his co-director, author and journalist Ziya Tong, felt the need to make this film. It’s not easy to take, but, as this film stresses, we’re already well past the point of no return and should probably effect some change if we have any hope of preventing further damage to our world and ourselves. B

Plastic People makes its world premiere in the Documentary Spotlight section at the 2024 SXSW Film and TV Festival.