The Shock Doctrine (2009)
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60% of critics liked it
(10 reviews) -
61% of users liked it
(377 ratings)
Naomi Klein's controversial best-selling book which explores how both natural and man-made disasters are used to force disadvantageous political and economic changes on unwilling governments is brought to the screen in this documentary from filmmakers Michael Winterbottom and Mat Whitecross.… More Naomi Klein's controversial best-selling book which explores how both natural and man-made disasters are used to force disadvantageous political and economic changes on unwilling governments is brought to the screen in this documentary from filmmakers Michael Winterbottom and Mat Whitecross. Using electroshock treatment as a metaphor -- a harsh jolt to the body and brain that, after being embraced as a healing method, was in turn discovered to cause more harm than good -- The Shock Doctrine explores how the United States, with the help of the C.I.A., became enamored of Milton Friedman's interpretation of free-market capitalism and attempted to persuade developing nations of its value. However, since fully unregulated markets tended to create an unbalanced economic climate in which a small number of people became extremely wealthy and vast numbers were plunged into poverty, the United States was only successful at selling free market deregulation to countries in crisis who had no practical choice than to do what the wealthiest and most powerful nation on Earth demanded. The results led to both widespread privation and violence in Russia, Poland, Chile, South Africa and the Middle East, and The Shock Doctrine explains how this happened, where it's still going on, and what can be done to stop it. The Shock Doctrine was an official selection at the 2009 Berlin International Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- Michael Winterbottom, Mat Whitecross
- Written By
- Naomi Klein
- Genres
- Documentary, Drama, Special Interest
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- Jan 1, 2009 Wide
- Studio
- Sundance Selects
Critic Reviews
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Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter
This movie, clearly assembled in haste, throws surprisingly poor archival footage into the mix with a Klein lecture, scant original interviews and a narration from on high that will brook no dissent.
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Simon Abrams, Slant Magazine
The Shock Doctrine does a poor job of preaching to the choir and winds up looking paranoid and more than a little ridiculous.
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Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
In a lucid way clears up how America is now in the midst of a severe financial crisis through questionable free market policies.
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Christopher Campbell, Cinematical
The worst that comes out of the documentary's final moments is the sense that Winterbottom and Whitecross ultimately don't know what their film is supposed to be about.
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S. James Wegg, JWR
Pure capitalism unmasked
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Naomi Klein
as Narrator
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Kieran O'Brien
as Narrator
- Milton Friedman
- Arnold Harberger
- Donald O. Hebb
- Edward M. Korry
- Janine Huard
- Joseph S. Blair
- Michael Townley
