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If you are a political junkie, have a fondness for Jimmy Carter (particularly his post-presidential activity), and are interested in the controversy surrounding Carter's recent book "Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid," this is an absorbing documentary.

Directed by Academy Award Winner Jonathan Demme (Silence of the Lambs), this 120 minute film manages to turn a book tour -- for "Peace Not Apartheid" -- into a fascinating exploration of Carter as a man of firm beliefs, viewpoints and faith.

Many people forget that Carter was our first modern "Born Again" president. Appropriately, the film begins with Carter driving around his family's land and conducting his weekly Bible class in Plains, which is attended by visitors from around the world. (Yes, Rosalynn and Jimmy still do live in the outpost of Plains and are active members of their small community.)

And then the book tour begins. Given the explosive nature of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as a flashpoint issue, Carter -- one learns during the film -- knew that the title of the book was going to cause a political dust-up. His intention was to get people talking about and focusing on the plight of the Palestinians, those Palestinians who really just want peace, and how Israel has not separated the terrorist organizations from the large Palestinian population in terms of how they treat them.

Those who think Carter is Anti-Israel or Anti-Semitic are just way off the mark. As the film reminds us, Carter is the one that brought Israel its first peace treaty with an Arab nation, through the most intense and pressured of personal negotiations between Sadat and Begin. He believes in a two-state solution. He supports the right of the State of Israel to exist. He just doesn't believe that you should apply collective punishment to a whole group of people, as is the case going on now in Gaza.

But as the documentary unfolds, one begins to realize, yet again, that the Israel-Palestinian conflict ranks right up there with abortion and gun control as issues to which emotions drown out reasoned discussion. It is more than a book tour, much more: it is the exploration of a thoughtful, committed man who is not slowing down when it comes to seeking peace and justice.

Clearly Demme made this film because of a fondness for Carter, but as a director he lets Carter's personality unfold on its own. There's no packaging going on with Jimmy. What many perceived as a strain of self-righteousness in Carter during his presidency comes off as strength of conviction in "Man from Plains." Demme offers opponents of Carter's book a say in the documentary, but Carter responds with unflinching support for his assessment and reveals a deep knowledge of the challenges confronting peace in the Middle East.

Is Carter too hard on the government of Israel in terms of its policies toward the Palestinians? You can decide after watching the documentary. But our judgment is that whatever your political outlook on the issue, Carter calls it like he sees it. You might not agree with him, but he's speaking from his sense of social justice, personal experience and his wide reading.

You can also see some of Demme's creative touches, such as when he dates the days and cities in the film in a way that makes the numbers and letters look like part of the landscape.

All in all, if you want an up close and personal portrait of Carter, "Man From Plains" is terrific. Carter's not a confessional sort of guy. There are no Oprah moments, but that's just fine. Let Jimmy be Jimmy, as Jonathan Demme does.

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