AllMovie

Longtime film editor Laura Israel makes her directorial debut with this documentary examining the effectiveness of wind turbines in creating clean, affordable energy, and revealing some of the unforeseen complications of harnessing power from the massive, imposing towers. When the economy in Meredith, NY, hit the skids, the local farmers were desperate to find an energy source that would help them keep their dairy farms functional while at the same time lessening their dependence on fossil fuels. That's when the wind-turbine salesman rode into town, and the controversy began. While everyone in Meredith was in favor of clean energy, no one quite realized just how intrusive a field of noisy, 400-foot towers outfitted with seven-ton blades would be on their daily lives. It didn't take long for frustration to set in, and before long the locals had realized that the drawbacks of wind turbines may ultimately outweigh the benefits. As the controversy over what to do about the turbines intensifies, Israel keeps her camera rolling in order to capture the arguments on both sides and highlight the occasional absurdities of small-town politics.