Square Grouper

Released by: Magnolia Home Entertainment
Released on: 4/19/2011
Director: Billy Corben
Year: 2011
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The Movie:

At one point or another, most people have probably heard stories of bails of pot washing up on shore and found by some local yokel walking his dog. These bails of weed were given the moniker “square groupers” (you know, like a fish) and were dumped overboard by drug smugglers. Reportedly back in the late 70s nearly 90 percent of all the marijuana seizures were made in southern Florida and this movie focuses on three stories about the smugglers themselves.




The first third is about a religious cult called the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church, or the Coptics as they are referred to, and their constant use of ganja as part of their faith. They claimed that cannabis was their sacrament and they should be allowed to use it free of hassle, and because they needed so much they brought it in from Jamaica by the bail. They set up church in a neighborhood that didn't welcome them and were the focus of much controversy. Legitimate church or clever cover-up for a smuggling operation? You decide.



The second part is about a group of men who sort of fell into the smuggling game. Labeled by the press during trial as “The Black Tuna Gang”, this group (led by two friends) brought in the reefer bails too, and once caught went through a lengthy trial which turned into a media circus. The DEA was on the way out, and some claim the two dudes who ran the group were treated more harshly than others who were smuggling in higher volume or worse, cocaine. They both spent more time in prison than murderers sometimes do, and one of them holds the unfortunate record of serving the longest term for a wackyweed offense.



The final third is about fishermen in Everglades City, a town in the middle of the Florida Everglades. As the government started taking more land and restricting where they could fish, they turned to unloading cargo ships full of the loco weed and bringing them into shore. It became a huge operation and practically everyone was doing it. Listen to the participants talk about it and ask yourself if you would do the same.



All three stories are fascinating, and although each is a self-contained tale they all share the same thread. As with most documentaries, a certain bias can be detected, the bias here is on the side of the offenders, but it's nothing heavy handed or preachy. The filmmakers seem to be making the statement that yes, these people broke the law, but is what they did really all that bad? They aren't violent people, they weren't going around killing people or committing violent acts. Did they really deserve to have their cases handled the way they were? Aren't there bigger fish to fry than people smuggling hemp, like the violent cocaine cartels? It does bring up a good point - why did someone like the Black Tuna Gang heads spend decades in prison for a non-violent crime, when rapists, pedophiles, and murderers get off with less time?

At any rate the filmmakers do a great job with the material, delivering a cohesive narrative and a darn good documentary. It's well worth watching no matter what your standpoint is on the sticky icky.




Video/Audio/Extras:

Square Grouper is presented by Magnolia with a 1.78:1 aspect ratio. There are different media sources involved, and some of the news footage looks a bit crummy, but the footage shot for the documentary looks great. Good black levels, great colors, and a clear image. Nothing at all to complain about. No disc issues to report. The audio is available two ways: 5.1 Surround and 2.0 channel, both Dolby Digital. There is a lot of music in this movie and the 5.1 showcases it much better of course, but when there is talking over the music (which is a little too much at times), the surround sound isn't really noticed. Both tracks sound great with balanced levels, and would service the film no matter which way you watched it.



The extras are plentiful. Seventeen minutes worth of deleted scenes, a couple of featurettes on the music (totaling around eight minutes), a few music videos (they seem proud of the score for the film). “Touring Ten Thousand Islands” is a piece where a guy takes the camera crew on a ride through the Everglades. And then there's a trailer for the movie plus trailers for other Magnolia films. Lastly is a commentary by the director Billy Corben and the producer Lindsey Snell. The commentary is every bit as interesting as the film itself, with the two people talking about the folks interviewed and involved in the cases. Lots of additional stuff is talked about in length and they keep the dialogue going throughout the whole picture. Great stuff and if you found the movie interesting this will certainly add to that experience.




The Final Word:

A very well made documentary on a topic not often talked about, maybe because of the lack of sensationalism the media can put on it. Highly recommended viewing with great special features and satisfying audio/video. This disc is worth getting.