Victoria-raised filmmaker Jennifer Baichwal’s new documentary Into the Weeds: Dewayne Lee Johnson vs. Monsanto Company follows the story of Johnson and his litigation against agrochemical company Monsanto. Johnson developed a rare form of cancer called non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma after being exposed to Monsanto’s weed killer Roundup. Roundup is the world’s most widely used weed killer and—spoiler—it contains glyphosate, which has been linked to an increased risk of cancer. Using fraudulent science, Monsanto suppressed this fact for decades and printed practically no warnings on their product.
Footage of the trial is weaved together with interviews and personal experience to create a portrait of the injury caused by the company. The viewer becomes a member of the jury and, given the facts and testimony, must draw their own conclusion about Monsanto. By the end of the trial, though, with all the evidence on the table, the jury and the viewer will find it difficult to serve Monsanto with anything but a guilty verdict.
Baichwal does not try to tie this story to the larger story of ecological destruction—she stays focused on telling the story of Johnson and the consequences of Roundup. So, yes, Into the Weeds is the tale of Johnson, but his is another chapter in a long history of abuses by companies just like Monsanto. For example, pharmaceutical company Grünenthal was responsible for the thalidomide tragedy that caused thousands of babies to be born with deformed limbs. Hooker Chemicals illegally buried 20,000 tons of chemicals, causing serious health problems in residents of a community called Love Canal who experienced long-term exposure. The Seveso disaster exposed thousands to a dangerous chemical called TCDD. These are just a few examples in a sea of ecological and public-health disasters.
Weed killers could also segue nicely into a discussion about the harmful effects of fertilizer. But placing the story of Roundup within this larger context would have made for an entirely different film. Ultimately, Baichwal’s choice to stay focused on this story makes for a sharp, clean documentary that cuts deeply rather than broadly.
The lack of a narrator gives Into the Weeds a feeling of objectivity that is essential to its success. The narrative flows naturally; it’s not superimposed by the filmmakers. Just as a good journalist might, Baichwal is hands off and allows the story to tell itself. Trying to place this story within the context of other ecological disasters would have taken away that natural narrative and replaced it with a constructed one. True to its genre, this film simply documents the events of the trial and the struggle of the victims, nothing more, nothing less.
Does this make for a thrilling, nail biting, or awe-inspiring film? No; in fact, the film feels slow at times. But it could be argued that the modern documentary is too often laced with artificial tension that demands that the viewer’s attention doesn’t wander. Into the Weeds is refreshing in its straight-forward, objective presentation. Without use of dramatic music, clever cuts, or cliffhangers, Into the Weeds grips the viewer for the length of the film. This is a story that is strong enough to stand on its own. It’s a story of injustice and one man’s struggle, not to make it right, but to make it better. Yes, the victims were awarded large settlements, but the sentiment shared by every one of them is that they would trade it all to have their good health restored. After all, health isn’t always something you can buy back.