‘Point Washington Outlaws‘ is a feature-length auteur documentary written, directed, edited and filmed by Kirby Clements, following the stories of four distinctive gentlemen who have genuine accounts of how Point Washington developed and grew over the past decades. The documentary draws us in from the outset. It doesn’t take long to acknowledge that Clements has created a friendly and welcoming atmosphere that made each of the four protagonists feel appreciated and recognised. Clements does something fascinating in the background – the author is empathetic and kind, so the four characters open up and become vulnerable and authentic in front of the camera. It’s essential for a documentary filmmaker to have this ability to communicate with the people they interview on a deeper level, something that quickly becomes the unique selling point of ‘Point Washington Outlaws’.
Meet James Foley, Robert Davis, Gid Godwin, and Larry Barrett. These are the four people who are taking us on an odyssey across time. Foley is the first to sit in front of the camera. We see him laughing and chatting with the crew, and immediately notice that he has plenty of stories to tell. Our assumptions proved correct. Foley takes a step back and opens his tale with a chapter about his predecessors before moving on to a topic about himself and what went wrong later in life.
Davis is more reserved, and his screening time is somewhat limited compared to Foley’s, but he’s undoubtedly a valuable asset who provides insight into the architecture of the time and place, as well as how different art forms have withstood the test of time. Godwin, on the other hand, takes us on a short trip. This is where the documentary opens up, indulging in the exteriors that contribute to its overall genuineness. The film ends on a high note – Barrett is the fourth and last person that the filmmakers interview, and his animated and energetic personality immerses us into the stories he’s sharing with us.
It must be stated that ‘Point Washington Outlaws’ encompasses a plethora of themes, meanings, and purposes. On the one hand, it’s an intimate portrait of four distinctive yet essentially similar characters who reminisce about a time and place that now only exists in their memories, as it has been altered and transformed over time. On the other side, the film is a lesson on history, art, architecture, counter culture, ecology and anthropology. Kirby Clements is convinced to get the best out of these protagonists, and he succeeds in doing that since, by the end of the film, we feel that we’ve been listening to the tales of old friends and familiar faces while gathered around a fire on a breezy spring night. Moving forward, the director incorporates different narrative devices throughout the interviews, especially during the first chapter (which is also the longest). That said, the characters’ statements are supported by still images that make the documentary richer and more informative. Archival footage, drone images, paintings and newspaper clippings are thrown like breadcrumbs to guide us towards the protagonists’ pasts. It’s interesting that all four protagonists, especially James Foley, mention the others in one context or another. We realise that Clements didn’t choose these people randomly. Quite on the contrary, their tales operate in harmony, allowing us, the curious audience, to glue together the pieces of the puzzle as the grander cause unfolds in front of us.
Kirby Clements took care of every little thing regarding the production process, and the results are excellent. The film is composited beautifully. The four protagonists are nicely juxtaposed against their backgrounds, so we get the feeling that they are comfortable the whole time. Clements aligns them at the centre, but there’s enough space left and right to avoid making them look intimidating. Moreover, ‘Point Washington Outlaws’ features an original soundtrack that enhances the experience, making it even more immersive. The lighting is warm and inobtrusive, and the camera knows when to stop or continue rolling.
On a different front, as mentioned, once we arrive at chapter three and meet Godwin, the film opens up considerably. The filmmakers utilise exteriors, which elevate the production value, leaving us to wonder whether the other three protagonists could’ve benefited from more activity instead of straightforward interviews. Given that ‘Point Washington’ serves as another key character in the story, there is a lot to show as well. Godwin’s scenes are the perfect examples of making the subject feel tangible, as the film adopts another, more naturalistic dimension here. One could only wonder how adding more aerial shots, brief scenes and interactions, and people with speaking roles would’ve changed the second half to make it more ‘unpredictable’ and engaging. Perhaps, the editing could’ve developed all storylines simultaneously, meaning each of the four protagonists would’ve told their story in parallel with the others. As a result, the pacing could’ve become more dynamic, making the runtime of almost two hours feel shorter. Foley’s interview takes up nearly half of the documentary, and by the time we meet the next protagonist, we subconsciously think that this film is exclusive to Foley.
In other words, setting all storylines in the first act can build a stable foundation for the editing to transition smoothly from one character to another. This way, Foley’s and Davis’s static shots would’ve worked in great cohesion with Godwin’s movements and Barrett’s expressive storytelling. Barrett could’ve also shown us around, as it’s evident that he knows the history of the place by heart, and is connected to it in a deeper, profound way. However, these remarks don’t take away from the satisfying job done by Kirby Clements. ‘Point Washington Outlaws’ is about the triumphs and failures, about the very essence of humanity, including friendships, love, loss, gratitude, and the coming of age. Foley, Davis, Godwin, and Barrett are so pleasant to the eyes and ears that we want them to talk for eternity, while we remain patient and curious listeners who are practically transformed by the end of these confessions.
