Men at Lunch

Given Men at Lunch's compelling argument that the identity of its anonymous ironworker subjects is beside the point—that mystery is a prime facet of its enduring appeal—the documentary's desire to determine who they really were comes across as unnecessary.

Regrettably, Men at Lunch obsesses over disappearing ghosts instead of the records we already have and the history we should know.

Best of all, we take a trip back to Depression-era New York and grasp its resonance more than 80 years later. Delicious.

Cartoonish hyperbole aside, the investigation does have its high points.

The film feels meandering. Not only does it offer a jumble of ideas that aren’t followed through, but it’s also structured oddly.

Just as the documentary doesn’t really have the goods when it comes to solving the photograph’s mysteries, it only skims across the surface of what the picture represents.