As someone who is deeply
connected to animal rights, Project
Nim was very powerful to me. I walked
into the film thinking I would see how humans were able to teach a chimpanzee
to communicate. In the end, I realized humans have probably been the enemy all
along.
Beginning in 1973, a man named
Herb Terrace decides to take an infant chimp from its mother, hand it over to a
human female, and have her raise the animal as if it were her child. The
situation just seems cruel. Fortunately, it appeared to be an experiment that
was meant for the benefit of science.
As the story progresses, more
characters are introduced. Each person becomes intertwined with the chimp, Nim.
The project begins to fall apart as the film focuses on the ways in which Nim's
life is affected by his human caretakers.
I was pleasantly surprised with the film. I had expected a heartwarming "mans-relationship-to-ape" story and
instead received something much deeper. My relationship to Project Nim went beneath the surface.
James Marsh seems to have another
winner on his hands. His style of storytelling is captivating, and I appreciate
the obvious work that went into capturing an event that started over 30 years ago.
Project Nim moves beyond the superficial and engages audience
members in a truly emotional story.
