SIFF Sighting: HOT COFFEE (Documentary; USA)

Everyone remembers the lady who sued McDonald's for her coffee being too hot, right? We all thought she encouraged frivolous lawsuits and tied up the court system with a meritless complaint, right?

Well, this new documentary by Susan Saladoff may actually revise our judgments.

In the film, we're shown (very graphically) the burns that were left on said lady (the late Stella Liebeck) and given an exact play-by-play of what really happened.

I left thinking that McDonald's definitely should've paid her medical bills, but still believing the first awarded amount was ridiculously high.

But that is just the first story in the film: there are more, and the rest are worse. What they all have in common are the injustices suffered by innocent people in the wake of big business taking precedence over human life.

If that sounds like generalizing, just see the film and see for yourself. Though the slant is clearly biased, it's hard to ignore the facts, even if they are sometimes unbearable to digest.

You'll undoubtedly be moved to take action.

Hot Coffee screened at The 37th Annual Seattle International Film Festival.