This documentary positions an intriguing investigation into the rise of synthetic diamonds within a broader excavation of the myths these stones carry.
The drama-infused documentary “Nothing Lasts Forever,” directed by Jason Kohn, aspires to mine the mystique surrounding diamonds. Intermixing historical analysis with new discoveries, the film unveils that while diamonds come from the earth, they are really human inventions, for they are only as covetable as the illusions they carry.
Kohn develops this idea by focusing on the production and distribution of synthetic diamonds, or diamonds grown in labs. Virtually indistinguishable from their natural forerunners, these manufactured pieces are a disruptive force in the gemstone market. If diamonds aren’t geological rarities, what are they worth?
A series of reporting coups add intrigue to the investigation, as when Kohn gains access to an Indian facility that mixes natural diamonds with synthetic ones. But the interviews are this film’s most memorable achievement. In the vein of The New Yorker journalist Janet Malcolm, Kohn wisely opts to sit back and let his more dubious interview subjects hang themselves — particularly Martin Rapaport, an industry bigwig eager to bluster on about the tendency for women to conflate the price of their jewelry with their self-worth.
Interestingly, Kohn sometimes intercuts Rapaport’s rants with the images that most likely sparked his misguided views: the original De Beers advertisements that popularized the concept of diamond engagement rings in the first place. That marketing campaigns are built on fallacies isn’t exactly revelatory, but in pairing his excavation of the diamond myth with new inquiries into how the industry is evolving (and how it’s stagnating), Kohn strikes on something valuable.
Nothing Lasts Forever
Not rated. Running time: 1 hour 27 minutes. In theaters.
Source: Movies - nytimes.com
