Square Grouper

Square Grouper paints an illuminating and entertaining picture of the marijuana smuggling culture that thrived in South Florida during the 1970s. Directed by Billy Corben, who brought us the 2006 documentary Cocaine Cowboys, this film shifts focus from the high-octane, violent world of cocaine trafficking to the relatively peaceful and bizarre narrative of the Floridian marijuana trade in the 70s and 80s. The movie title, Square Grouper, is a slang term used to describe the bales of marijuana that were often seen washing ashore in South Florida during this period.

This 2011 documentary is structured around three main stories, each one focusing on different fascinating characters and scenarios. The individuals and groups central to these stories are Robert Platshorn, the Black Tuna Gang, and the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church.

Robert Platshorn is an interesting central character who later turned to advocating for the legalization of marijuana after serving thirty years in prison for smuggling. The documentary explores his pre-prison life, detailing his activities as part of the Black Tuna Gang, a group of smugglers named after a South Florida fishing charter business that served as a cover for their operations.

The film digs into the surreal tale of the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church, a religious group from Jamaica who purchased a mansion on Miami’s millionaire row and a 280-acre island in the Caribbean. The Church brazenly grew and dealt large volumes of marijuana as part of their sacrament.

The third story explores Everglades City, a small fishing village of Florida where nearly the entirety of the population was in on smuggling operations. Seemingly straight out of a small-town crime novel, the narrative follows how these residents cavorted with the lucrative marijuana smuggling business under the nose of the law.

Corben uses a combination of interviews with former smugglers, law enforcement officers, attorneys, journalists, and other key figures, as well as archival footage and photographs from the era. He utilizes these elements to weave a fascinating mosaic of tales filled with comic trials, fearless nonconformism, and run-ins with the law. He brings out the paradox, highlighting how these notorious times, marred by illegal activities, were also filled with close community ties, camaraderie, and a certain serene rhythm of life far removed from the cold, harsh reality of hard drugs and consequent violence.

Square Grouper does not glorify the drug trade or present its characters as heroes. Instead, the film offers an anthropological examination of a unique subset of American culture during a particular period in history. It's a fascinating look into a bygone era peopled with eccentrics who fiercely bucked societal norms and paid the price for their brush with illegal entrepreneurialism.

The film also provokes a thought about the blurry lines between legality and morality. By featuring law enforcement officials, attorneys, and others who worked to uphold the law, it tirelessly kicks against the perception of marijuana as a dangerous drug deserving of severe criminal punishment. This is echoed through the life stories of individuals like Platshorn, who after serving lengthy sentences, became advocates for marijuana law reform.

Throughout the documentary, viewers will be entertained by amusing and outrageous stories that sound more like fiction than fact. At the same time, it offers a fair bit of contemplation about American drug policy, both past and present.

With a runtime of 96 minutes, Square Grouper manages to pack in a lot of intriguing narrative into a concise package. As it explores a very specific slice of time and subculture, it lures viewers into a jovial yet thought-provoking trip down the memory lane of American counterculture.

Overall, Square Grouper is a must-watch for anyone interested in absorbing quirky cultural history, drug policy discourse, or simply for fans of outstanding documentary storytelling.