All the Beauty and the Bloodshed

It took a while for the two threads to connect but when they did, the film unveiled its true magic.

This is a compelling look at an artist who is a force of nature and rises up to slay the evil dragon that is the Sackler family. The opioid crisis has killed over 300,000 people and is on-going. Nan Goldin is the Goliath to this sociopathic family. Even after hearing dozens of impact statements as part of their recent hearing, the Sackler family has not accepted blame. There are still institutions that have not taken down the Sackler name and their collections, universities, expansions, etc. are funded by the deaths and suffering of thousands. Nan Goldin is fighting for all those dearly departed.

The title is a quote taken from the mental health evaluation of Nan Goldin's sister and this Oscar-nominated documentary deftly weaves the inspiration behind her 1985 slide show exhibition The Ballad of Sexual Dependency, her troubled personal lives and her battle against the Sackler dynasty responsible for the opioid epidemic in the United States.

An incredibly intimate portrait of Nan and a whole generation. Moving, deep. At the same time - the chronicle an uncompromising fight with the Saclers' family, as a logical consequence of her whole life, the effect of everything she had learned about herself and life. A beautiful lesson in responsibility and humanity.

Simply incredible. I have not been touched by a film, like this, for quite some time. A testament to the great works of Nan Goldin. If I could award more stars, I would.

I'm surprised that is film only scores 57% - I'm not particularly a social activist, but the Sackler family certainly needs to be called to book on Oxycontin, which is a terrible drug that has killed hundreds of thousands, specifically because it was marketed as SAFE - which it very definitely is NOT. Maybe the intertwining themes are too complex for some audiences - perhaps this is a sign of the times. I was shocked, thrilled and entertained by this film as it rather gently (IMHO) hammered its message home. Great job!

Nan, her sister Barbara, Goldin's art, "The Ballad of Sexual Dependency, her activism, the seediness of Times Square...I loved it all! However, at two hours I thought the film, as brilliant and riveting as it was, was too long. And I hate to say this but I think the section on the AIDS crisis, as powerful and painful as it was, could have been cut. (I have no doubt that the filmmakers would vehemently disagree. And, frankly, I cannot blame them.) Had I seen this film last year, it definitely would have been near the top of my Ten Best List.

This film is trying to be two films in one: it's a documentary about the life and career of Nan Goldin, describing the skeletons in her family's closet and her turbulent path to success as a photographer, and it is also about her activism against the Sackler family, owners of Purdue Pharma, the company that made and aggressively marketed opioid drugs. Those two stories intersect - Goldin had an addiction to opioids which helped to inspire her activism and her work is in the permanent collections of many of the Sackler-funded art institutions she protests at - but it means that neither of the two films is really a fully developed documentary. I admire the director for taking the risk, I just don't think it pays off, but it's still a very interesting movie.

All the Beauty and the Bloodshed is a remarkable film about a remarkable life. A document of an important life and a life well lived. Laura Poitras has expertly crafted this wonderful documentary about legendary photographer Nan Goldin. Goldin is an icon in this field but the film also spotlights her vital activism. The film does an extremely good job of showing us Goldin's life, her work and her activism. We see the tragic circumstances of her sister's life and how Nan coped and grew into an adult. The finishing point of the film examines her efforts to hold the Sackler family accountable for the opiod crisis. We see her work with P.A.I.N., an advocacy group for the victims. It's quite inspiring to see them campaign to remove the Sackler name from major musuems. In between we see her life as a photographer in the 70s and 80s in New York and Boston. She lived a vital life and her work covering the AIDS crisis is quite inspiring. The film also blends in montages of her extraordinary work. A great film of a great human.

Terrible. Looks like the product I would put out if I had to make a documentary in 6th grade. Super half assed attempt.