Educational Media Reviews Online

Who is looking out for the American worker? Robert Reich says, “nobody.” This doc featuring the professor, celebrity economist, author, and former Secretary of Labor is very much an advocacy film for the middle class (he even campaigns for viewers to “take action” at the conclusion). In it, Reich explores in detail a number of factors that he claims have, over the past 30 years, chipped away at the stability (and perhaps even the very existence) of the middle class, including upward mobility problems, CEO pay, deregulation, the rise of housing costs, ways that Americans paid the bills in the face of stagnant wages (working more hours, putting up their homes for collateral, women going to work), and political polarizations. There are a number of fascinating interviews, including a testimonial from the owner of Pacific Coast Feather Company saying that the middle class is the key to economic success. I found these interviews with the wealthy in which they denounce taxes very interesting, as they seem to have the same clueless look in their eyes and seem as at a loss of what to do as the people who are struggling to pay their bills. Reich also interviews middle class workers—liberal and conservative—who are unable to pay their mortgage even though they are employed, or who find themselves joining a union because they are tired of being asked to do more for less pay.

This film is a masterful marriage of autobiography (Reich’s small stature, growing up middle class, how he met Bill Clinton on the Rhodes Scholar boat en route to Oxford University) and documentary on income inequality. The film is rich with infographics that present striking comparisons, connecting the decline of unions to the decline of the middle income class. The graphs tell compelling stories: the effect of unions and higher education expansion on the rise of middle class (1947-1977), linking higher education to globalization (higher skillsets yield more exports, like iPhone parts), and how around 1980 the pay disparity between workers and CEOs quickly becomes a chasm. Along with the captivating visuals, viewers will enjoy Reich as an extraordinarily persuasive and captivating speaker. He exudes common sense without condescension. Yet in the film he depressingly wonders out loud about the effectiveness of his career. “Am I a total failure?” he asks. “I’ve been saying the same things for 30 years.” The information Reich presents in this film and the way he presents it will appall, inform, and hopefully motivate viewers to better understand the current state of income disparity. Highly recommended.

Awards
• Winner, Special Jury Prize, Sundance Film Festival
• Audience Award Winner, Best Documentary Film, Traverse City Film Festival