In Paul Krik’s film “Able Danger” (pictured), which opened the 2008 Brooklyn International Film Festival on Friday, something about the movie’s main character seemed very familiar. Thomas Flynn owned a cafe called Vox Pop on Cortelyou Road and wrote a book about a 9-11 cover-up theory; in fact, in many ways, he resembled real-life Vox Pop owner, writer and man-about-town Sander Hicks.
“Krik will tell you, ‘It’s not Sander,’ but it’s based on me,” Hicks told GO Brooklyn. “The guy is running my store, has written my book. It’s Kafka-esque! If that’s not me, who am I?”
But Flynn definitely isn’t Hicks, who has run the bookstore and coffee shop since 2005.
“The approach of ‘Able Danger’ is more, ‘let’s tell this story. Let’s use cinema noir. Let’s layer it and make it complicated and dense, like the internet,’ ” said Hicks. “So I wonder if the 9-11 truth stuff is kind of buried a bit too much in the aesthetic imperatives of the film.”
Either way, Hicks is glad to have collaborated with Krik, and as for any misrepresentations the character perpetuates, Hicks said, “Hey, let the people decide if the film works or not.”
“Able Danger” will screen again at 8 pm on June 6 at the Brooklyn Lyceum (227 Fourth Ave. at President Street in Park Slope). Tickets are $10. For information, call (718) 388-4306 or visit www.wbff.org.
