The strength of this film comes from its depiction of the 'ruins of Detroit,' the bombed-out husks of buildings and post-industrial craters that pockmark the city. It is a fascinating take on the American road trip. Some of the academic commentary interspersed throughout the film feels closer to mere theory than anything truly insightful about the condition of Detroit, but overall, the film is a intriguing document. Its progression from the River Rouge/Henry Ford era to the disaster that Detroit has become makes this a worthy contribution to the category of films dealing with American history. Though some might complain it is long on depressing scenery and short on proposed solutions, that's not really the film's job. It is a document of a particular slice of time in Detroit, ugliness and all.
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