Requiem pour le rêve américain

Everyone should see this. Confused, concerned, and frustrated by what is happening in America? Watch this and you'll begin to understand. I would also recommend watching Adam Curtis' excellent documentary "The Century of the Self" as a companion documentary to help understand how we got here.

most of people that I know are aware the the rich gain more that politicians are corrupt that bankers only want money for themselves etc.. but we know it because we hear it here and there. this movie actually shows you how this is all engineered and does it in a way that slowly builds up and makes you even angry to see how much truth is in it. But I am posting here mainly for one reason, I am neither American nor live in the US but in Spain and I can tell that over here (Europe) we have got exactly the same structure that this movie shows. It is an actual copy but in Europe, that tells that this is not US on their own with their economy and social classes etc... it is Global or at least common to the so-called 1st world. In Spain and other southern European countries like Italy, Portugal or Greece it is not enough nowadays with having a full time job for not to be poor. Many salaries are around the 1K EUR mark those that earn 1.5K consider themselves somehow with a good salary but that is totally wrong with current earnings people can barely pay the rent, bills,schools, insurances etc... Today's poor is not a street begger but also someone who does have a full time job but cannot afford a decent live.

This is a very important documentary with a lot of information - especially for the uninformed about society and what mechanisms there are that's "controlling" us and how we then behave, like puppets. But what I miss here is discussions about solutions, and that's why I can't give this documentary a 10 out of 10. I would like this documentary to be more educational and have more discussions about alternative solutions - like the "Zeitgeist Moving Forward"-documentary did! But Requiem for the American Dream is, of course, very much worth seeing! This informative educational documentary should be viewed in schools! Why isn't it?

This documentary is so great! I've actually never written a review on IMDb and normally use it for fictional films but especially the "uninformed" ,how one other user put it before, should definitely watch this. Noam Chomsky is one to listen to! He really puts the finger on the wounds of society and capitalism. Especially in times of Trump and other right forces it is important to not just post memes on Facebook but rather talk about why it happened. And this film perfectly summarizes why people are fed up with society and how people as Trump can get their votes with the cheapest "solutions", get their votes with just finding a guilty one instead of dealing with the unjust economy (& society) of capitalism.

If you're a Trump supporter, you probably won't watch this. Too bad. It's about YOUR beliefs. Everyone's beliefs. A great deal of Noam Chomsky's attention over his long career has been about how consciousness is shaped by------as well as shapes---- language. Language consequently becomes power to control others......as Eric Blair pointed out so brilliantly in 1984 with his totalitarian NewSpeak. Language, words, grammar, inflections . . .the stuff of thoughts and ideas. In this lovely synopsis of his book by the same title the filmmakers managed to encapsulate the leading points one of America's greatest intellectuals makes by paring the content down to ten overarching themes ---all of which point to seizure of power by the most manipulative for their own purposes. We learn how the money and power are consolidated, controlled by the wealthiest. How free markets aren't free. How the concept of democracy was always feared by the leaders in the US....even though their rhetoric is full of token adoration of it. How minds are controlled-- brainwashed by repetitive messaging. How power, and wealth in the hands of a few renders everything else unstable. How the entire system is imploding because it is no longer sustainable. How the damage to the ecosystem, to societal harmony is ruinous......and what must be done to alter the current flow. If you haven't seen this short documentary, watch it. Especially if you're one of the people not given to thinking about deeper social causes and effects. You know, Trump supporter types.

I agree with another reviewer who said that if you've followed Noam over the years, you won't be learning anything new. That's true, I've heard most of these topics being discussed in previous books and talks that he has given but, having the focus of the entire movie on one topic was a treat and personally, I feel much better informed for having seen the movie. Also, Since Noam has so much information it's nice to have it edited so all the information is concise. People love or hate Noam Chomsky, I fall in the love category. I just feel that whenever I hear him speak he is saying what I sense but I am unable to put into words. I've worked hard all my life but, never manage to get much accomplished so, his words are kinda soothing to my soul. I just got finished watching it and already I am planning on when I can watch it again. I'm sure I missed a few points. I just love intelligent people and Noam is one of the best.

I was led to believe Chomsky was intelligent, this film showed that was a lie. Yes, i watched every second hoping for some redeeming aspect. Most of his logic had no track to a cohesive conclusion beyond money=bad. He glorifies some of the worst civil rights offenders, and vilifies others by tearing quotes from context. The cogent points he does make are likely by accident. Most everything else he says is self contradictory within the documentary, or has been radically redefined five years later to fit the morphing agenda. Maybe I need to go back a few decades before dementia clouded his judgment? Best part is how an anti capitalist hit piece is totally funded by interruption ads. Go ahead and down vote me; I've seen what you cheer.

Somehow, conservatives have awoke from their slumber and become aware that we have severe economic problems in this country and the American middle class has seen their economic power erode while the "masters of the universe" just become richer and richer and exert more power and money to ensure that legislation is written that will continue to benefit the 1%. Donald Trump acknowledges this in his stump speeches while Bernie Sanders has made it a cornerstone of his campaign. Clinton tries to avoid the subject lest her opponents bring up Goldman Sach's yet again. Choamsky puts the intellectual underpinnings on why the American Dream is fast becoming a nightmare. His ten principles are pretty easy to understand as he invokes the Founding Fathers and Adam Smith to buttress his intellectual arguments that income inequality in the U.S. is not only a problem but a huge problem that not only affects us in the pocketbook but undermines our democratic processes that have stood us so well over the last 200+ years. We have a professional class in the U.S. that has become immune to the globalization issues facing blue collar workers and both political parties have turned a blind eye to helping American's who have borne the brunt of trade policies that benefit corporate America at the expense of working people. Also the constant drumbeat of the elites against labor unions in our country, an organizing group that once had immense power to protect American wages. In the new "sharing" economy there are vicious fights to keep the sharing workforce from unionizing. Also massive attacks mounted against public sector workers including teachers because they belong to a union. These attacks are not random events but carefully orchestrated events with an end in mind: the continued growth of the 1% that even Adam Smith warned us about. The big fear among the enormously wealthy is that the majority of American's will get too much democracy and start pushing for rights that have long been denied them. They rely on law enforcement and even the military if necessary to protect their property rights and right to govern or manipulate the legislators who supposedly represent their constituents but in reality only represent the interests of the !%. Chomsky lays this all out in his documentary. You may not agree with everything he lays out, but he makes an awful lot of common sense. Many American's are finally waking up to this reality. Watch this documentary and it will provide a good insight into how this country arrived at this economic state.

To write a review of this movie and be tracked by the nsa, cia, WEF, bilderbergs, CFR....am i missing someone? facts: oh yah! 1/10th of one percent have 98 to 99 percent of world usd..and are confused as to how to keep the rabble in line'' lol so funny. they should make it a comedy. or no, make it a marvel movie consisting of prurient individualism marketed by 98 percent cgi.. now THAT would blow the roof off! yours truly, shmity ps i took chomsky's 400 level grammar class at the u of washington in the early 90s ...he aint no dummy.