Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
Drawing from never-before-seen footage that has been tucked away in the National Geographic archives, director Brett Morgen tells the story of Jane Goodall, a woman whose chimpanzee research revolutionized our understanding of the natural world.
Jane (2017) is elevated primarily by its remarkable cinematography — Hugo van Lawick's stunning archival footage of Goodall's early Gombe fieldwork is genuinely exceptional, capturing intimate chimpanzee behavior with a warmth and immediacy that feels almost miraculous. The documentary's structure is engaging and the subject matter compelling, but the narrative arc follows fairly conventional biographical documentary beats. Goodall herself is a fascinating subject and her presence is compelling, though as a documentary 'acting' is hard to assess beyond presence and authenticity. Novelty is moderate — the archival footage is rare but the storytelling approach is familiar. The ending resolves naturally but without a particularly striking final note.