The Connection is an unforgettable cinematic experience. It will not by any means be to everyone's taste, but those who are able to appreciate its riches will find it a treasure. Certainly, there's plenty here for a viewer to legitimately criticize, starting with the disturbing subject matter, which many may take to be an endorsement of drug abuse. The fact that Connection resolutely stays rooted in one location will also cause discomfort, and with good cause; yet director Shirley Clarke demonstrates a remarkable facility for finding ways to get her camera moving. True, the film is often many long, long takes, some of them quite static; but these do have a mesmerizing quality to them, and she does find opportunity to alleviate this situation much more often than might be supposed. For those with stick with her, Clarke makes a tough, gut wrenching, yet often funny, humane and at times even beautiful film. It's also a social critique -- of cinema verite movie making, of the drug culture, of racial relations, of poverty conditions, of myths and dreams, and of so much more. One watches Connection with a mixture of distaste and awe, but if a viewer gives himself over to it wholeheartedly, it becomes impossible to pull away. For those unable to make this commitment, Connection also offers a brief jam session featuring excellent work from Freddie Redd and Jackie McLean.