Outta the Muck
**Seen at the 2022 Atlanta Film Festival.
When my parents moved us from Ravenna, Ohio to Georgia in 1988, it was partially because they saw the opportunity for me to have a more active and fuller life than what Ohio had to offer, at the time. In the times I’ve gone back to Ohio to visit over the past decade, however, I often find myself feeling like a move back to smaller town living would be ideal for me, not only in terms of lower cost of living, but just the peace and sense of community that would exist that isn’t really afforded in most suburban environments. There are reasons why it’s not feasible for me, but in watching “Outta the Muck,” it was one of the first things that came to mind. I’m envious of the community that exists in this film’s subject town, Pahokee, Florida, and inspired by how the Dean family has found strength and purpose in it.
Co-director Ira McKinley has made this film with Bhawin Suchak as a travelogue love letter to the place he grew up, the family he left behind, and the vibrant environment that still exists in this town of just over 6300 people. Seven generations of the Dean family has lived in Pahokee, and among this film’s subjects are McKinley’s niece, Bridget, and nephew, Alvin, and how their lives are as much a part of the history of the town as it is about personal history. Alvin is the coach of Pahokee’s high school football team, and we also follow them through not only their annual rivalry with the high school across the lake from them- which they’ve lost for eight straight years- but also as they compete for the state championship.
Movies like “Outta the Muck” serve several purposes. They introduce us to individuals we likely would never meet in real life; they give us lessons of history- in this case, a 1928 storm that killed thousands; and they give us a sense of what it means to live life for what matters most to you. The sense of community among the citizens of Pahokee is envious, whether it’s during a ceremony in tribute to the people who died in the storm (we hear from a survivor, and that moment alone is worth watching the film for), a family meal, or getting ready for the big game. The love that permeates through the Dean family, and Pahokee, is something we could all stand to have more of in our lives. A lot of people want to get out of the muck of their small town lives as fast as possible; there’s something to be said about the people who embrace that living, and take pride in it. Neither choice is better than the other, so long as your needs for living, and community, are being met. “Outta the Muck” is inspiring in how the Dean family has found that, and thrive.
Outta The Muck – Trailer from Bhawin Suchak on Vimeo.
