There’s no doubt that, at this very moment, scores of documentary filmmakers, both those new to the game and more wizened veterans of the genre, are kicking around ideas for their next great project, one that will hopefully capture the minds of audiences, open eyes to a subject previously untouched and/or inspire society into making some sort of cultural change.  It can be difficult to find that balance, as is the case with any narrative feature. But in a documentary, where the tractor beam of attention stems from a combination of onscreen interviews, B-roll footage, and possible reenactments of events, it becomes even more crucial that these elements be presented in an engaging manner. It’s all of this combined that may elevate a subject that would otherwise fail to translate to this medium to something worth watching or stumble in presenting a topic that should be a slam dunk.
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Director Raoul Peck’s “Silver Dollar Road” attempts to do the former, but in trying to do so is unable to rise beyond a rudimentary presentation of the documentary components listed above, minus the reenactments, but with far more efforts on behalf of the audience to try and stay awake.  The concept revolves around the film’s namesake piece of land in North Carolina and the skirmish between the Reels, a Black family who’ve owned it for generations, and the powers that be who want to seize the land for development. Said powers aren’t above making life difficult for the beleaguered family, and the film takes us through interviews with family members, attorneys, and the like in an attempt to shed light on their long relationship with Silver Dollar Road, why it’s so important, and what needs to be done to keep it.
Make no mistake, what’s just been described is the absolute extent of the film, and though “Silver Dollar Road” remains a competently made project in terms of filmmaking basics, no amount of footage of, say, the Reels family working on boats, walking around the property as they muse about the past or even their uncles, and their reminiscence about time spent in jail can keep the energy from rising above a level normally reserved for a high school lecture about ethics in the world of real estate takeover.  Though said time behind bars does figure into the Reels’ plight, and while each and every interviewee couldn’t be more articulate or passionate about the dilemma as a whole in a way that makes it near impossible not to sympathize with the Reels, “Silver Dollar Road” is ultimately a drag.
That pill even more difficult to swallow when you consider the bar set by Peck’s previous effort, the 2017 Oscar-nominated masterpiece “I Am Not Your Negro. “Though not all that far removed from that particular film vaguely in terms of subject matter, not much can save “Silver Dollar Road” from being a rough watch, even when you factor in some honestly tense scenes, such as a confrontation between one of the Reels and a construction crew as they move in on the land while another family member tries in vain to cool the situation off-camera.  Compelling to watch, to be sure, but the moment passes just as quickly as it begins; though this may ultimately be a good thing when it comes to the well-being of the family we’re watching.
Overall, is there something here, something a different filmmaker could draw out to make “Silver Dollar Road” something worth revisiting?  Every great doc possesses this trait, be it a film about an important issue or something one would simply prefer to have on in the background as they take care of the housework. “Silver Dollar Road, “sadly, has not a trace of this pro, instead rich in a wealth of cons that take an honestly sad story and do little more than bring the audience in to share in its miserable mood.  A silver dollar was once a treasured form of currency, but in this film, no such prize is anywhere to be found.  [C-]
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