SXSW Review: Marijuana Documentary 'Rolling Papers' Provides An Uneven High

The new marijuana documentary, “Rolling Papers,” tells the story of Denver Post’s Ricardo Baca, a journalist who landed the first ever job as marijuana editor, and started “The Cannabist” column. When the first legal marijuana stores opened in January 2014, Colorado got global media attention as not only the first place in America, but the first place in the world, to constitutionalize the recreational use of the drug for adults 21 years of age. Smoking weed was finally as legit as drinking alcohol, and the newspaper jumped on the opportunity to cover the rapidly expanding culture of cannabis. Directed by Colorado native Mitch Dickman, the documentary struggles to remain relevant throughout its short run time, and wobbles between glorification and reflection until it completely tilts over.

Part of the trouble is that it’s not sure about whether it tells Ricardo’s story or simply follows him around during the somewhat uneventful beginnings of “The Cannabist.” For one thing, our...