Helvetica (2007)

Helvetica is a documentary directed by Gary Hustwit that details the rise of a font called Helvetica. Helvetica, the font, was created in the late 1950s by a Swiss typeface designer, and since its creation it has exploded into every area of printed words (in the Latin alphabet at least.) Much controversy has arisen in the design world over the juggernaut that is Helvetica.

Helvetica, conceptually, has a difficult and ambitious task: to make a font seem interesting to a broad base of viewers who probably aren’t schooled in the area of design. Like the font itself, the film has a modern and sleek feel that is surprising for such a small budget. The film shows just how widely used Helvetica is, and once the viewer sees it, one can’t help but notice it everywhere, from advertisements to street signs to . The font is both criticized and praised for its readability and simplicity; However, whatever one’s opinion of the font, the film is well-crafted and informative while remaining entertaining and interesting.

Running Time: 80 Minutes

Rating: 4 / 5 Stars. I really liked this movie.

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