There is something Shakespearean about a man devoting his life to fighting the good fight for the people only to be reviled by the same people he fought so hard for. That is the story the documentary “An Unreasonable Man” paints about Ralph Nader.
The documentary is about a man who went from being loved and admired in the late ’60s through the ’70s to being the laughing stock he is today. A man who was on the cover of U.S. News and World Report as one of the most admired Americans to getting a pie thrown in his face during the 2004 presidential election. The movie goes into great detail about Nader’s life, his contributions to American society through his participation in passing various acts into law, and his multiple political runs for president.
Nader has been integral in American society as the hero for the little guy. He is a big reason why wearing a seatbelt is the law today. As a Harvard Law graduate he attacked General Motors for knowingly putting unsafe cars on the road. That single act, one many thought of as career suicide, launched him into the political stratosphere.
It also discusses Nader’s lesser-known sense of humor, his relationships with different presidential administrations, and his reasons for running for office.
His never-ending quest for justice at all costs is portrayed in the movie. By watching this movie, people would learn about the numerous bills Nader helped push into legislation like the Freedom of Information Act, the Wholesome Meat Act, the Pension Protection Act and many others.
Former Nader Raiders, a group of college students formed to assail companies with questionable practices in various industries, including former New York City mayoral candidate Mark Green, contributed, discussing what it was like to work for him and his legacy.
Eric Altermann of The Nation was a harsh critic of Nader in the film, blaming him for almost everything that went wrong since the 2000 election. One memorable line Nader said in response is that our political system is not one “by and for the people. We have a system of Exxons, by the Duponts, for the General Motors.”
This is a good movie to see for political science majors, and for people who are curious to know about the man who always runs for president. It is indeed unreasonable not to see this movie.