Bonecrusher

Television producer Fountain's (West Wing) debut full-length documentary tells the captivating story of 62-year-old ex-coalminer Luther "Bonecrusher" Chaffin and his adoring 24-year-old son, Lucas, who is stubbornly committed to carrying on the family tradition of working in the mines of Dante, VA, despite the health and safety risks. These are proud, likable, and candid men who don't hide their emotions as they give viewers an unflinching look at the realities of life in and around the mines of their impoverished but close-knit rural town. Nothing is sugarcoated or romanticized in this raw and gritty film, which follows Luther's battle with black lung disease and cancer and Lucas's struggle to come to terms with his father's mortality and the physical and mental hardships of his chosen profession. There are no happy endings here. This must-see film is one of the better recent documentaries on the American South; highly recommended for all audiences.—Douglas King, Univ. of South Carolina Lib., Columbia