STARTUP.COM (2001) ***1/2

Reviewed 3/22/01

In STARTUP.COM, Chris Hegedus and Jehane Noujaim remarkably capture the rise and fall of internet company GovWorks.com.  Started by commandeering Kaleil Isaza Tuzman and earnest Tom Herman, the company goes through trials and tribulations that take their toll on their relationship (the two have been friends since childhood).  Never as pat as it sounds, this documentary does as a full-length feature what news shows like "20/20" and "60 Minutes" cannot, which is to follow its subjects around with no commentary and let the story flow forth through the editing. While STARTUP.COM occasionally veers into the freakshow depiction of certain people, it is both unexpectedly funny and when all is said and done, quite moving.