This film, described as "an animated conversation," is the result of interviews with the iconic American activist, educator, philosopher, and scientist Noam Chomsky by cult French director and animator Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Science of Sleep). As the 85-year-old teacher, whose voice is measured and almost tranquilizing, reflects on his personal history and expounds on subjects such as cognition and the evolutionary theory of a great leap forward, the 50-year-old artist creates a complementary visual experience: a nonstop, hand-drawn, psychedelic fountain of countrysides giving way to cities, famous Enlightenment philosophers' heads exploding or transforming, and other left-field images which function as heightened, but useful tools of elucidation. It results in a fairly intense viewing experience as one tries to both absorb the concepts as heard and delight in the high level of visual invention on display. It is a pleasant and rewarding challenge, though, which shines a warm light upon both key participants, though, I admit, long-term and devout students of Chomsky may consider the film an overly simplistic tutorial and the director's more humorous contributions a fey distraction.

B+