The Interrupters

If gang wars is something you’re used to watching on TV shows or in the movies, get ready to come face-to-face with a chilling reality. Only this time, the protagonists aren’t tough cops and ruthless criminals but average citizens, unsung heroes who have dedicated their lives to disrupt violence-in-the-making, a plague that has turned the streets of Chicago into a war zone. Former gang members themselves, they have decided to switch sides and leave their dark past behind. “The Interrupters” intervene in disputes before they turn violent, using their invaluable experience in similar situations as their only weapon. But can they really change the course of violence in the streets of the city? Acclaimed director Steve James (“Hoop Dreams”) shadows them for an entire year as they patrol inner city neighborhoods, delivering another gripping urban saga that makes “The Wire” look like a sitcom.