‘Just Look Up’ review: US climate activism doc shows passion, but covers familiar ground

Dirs: Emma Wall, Betsy Hershey. US/Denmark. 2026. 94mins

As politicians continue to bat around the subject of the climate crisis, with some including American President Donald Trump going so far as to label it a “con job”, many protesters are turning to direct action and civil disobedience as a way of highlighting the issue. For their debut documentary, Emma Wall and Betsy Hershey immerse themselves in nascent US activism group Climate Defiance but, while their observational approach captures the energy and commitment of the people involved, it does not offer much additional insight into the group or its founder, Michael Greenberg.

Does not offer much additional insight 

Given that the climate crisis has become a burning issue in Hollywood in recent years – quite literally, with the devastating blazes that ripped through LA in 20025 – it’s not surprising that there continues to be a steady stream of documentaries about it. Just Look Up has the added benefit of having The Act Of Killing’s Joshua Oppenheimer as an executive producer along with Adam McKay, to whose 2021 climate satire Don’t Look Up the title also nods. Premiering at CPH:Dox before screening in Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival’s Newcomers Competition, it’s likely to enjoy a healthy festival run. It may struggle to distinguish itself from the pack in terms of securing distribution, however – especially outside of the US, where Climate Defiance is not a household name.

The main thing that we learn about Michael Greenberg is that he is passionate about shifting the conversation about the climate and his desire to “shake society awake”. A former “entry level staffer at a nondescript non-profit” and stand-up comedian by trade, footage of him onstage shows him using his Jewish and gay identity as the foundation of his edgy humour, with the platform also giving him an opportunity to fundraise. Like much of Greenberg’s background, the source and impact of that funding remains a frustrating mystery.

“I really like the chaotic nature of the group and the work,” says Greenberg, and we see that in action several times. The group stages various direct actions, often buying tickets and infiltrating posh events with everyone from banking corporation heads to senators including Democrat-turned-independent Joe Manchin, before unfurling banners and chanting slogans. Wall and Hershey capture the vibrant nature of the group’s scrappy but steadfastly non-violent energy in these moments – often in the face of an unnecessary forceful response – but the footage becomes somewhat repetitive; especially given that those familiar with the group will doubtless already have seen these actions unfold online.

Footage of pre-protest talks and de-briefs holds more interest in terms of what makes the group tick. There, we get to see them formulating new strategies for their protests, but these conversations – especially one regarding whether Greenberg should recruit a co-executive director (something he seems less than keen to do) – often feel cut short and left hanging, raising as many questions as they answer.

More behind the scenes footage – like that which shows the group trying to recruit others – would be welcome, as it gives those involved the opportunity to articulate what drives them to take part in direct action despite the risk it represents. As it stands, the bigger picture often remains opaque so that when, for example, members of the group are arrested, we only see them reunited after they have been freed, with no sense of what charges they may or may not face.

Hershey and Wall also dip in and out of conversations with politicians, but the structure remains loose until the run-up to Trump’s re-election offers some much needed momentum and shape; watching the election night footage with the benefit of hindsight adds a level of pathos. Ironically, Just Look Up is most likely to appeal to the already converted rather than attracting new blood to the cause.