| James D. Scurlock | Director, Producer, Screenwriter |
| Jon Aaron Aaseng | Cinematographer |
| Benoît Charest | Score Composer |
| Yolanda Ferraloro | Musical Direction/Supervision |
| Joel McKinnon Miller | Sound/Sound Designer |
| Joe Milner | Sound/Sound Designer |
| Alexis Manya Spraic | Associate Producer, Editor |
| Lee Thompson | Associate Producer |
There's no question that America is a debtor nation in a big way. As a government, we accumulate debt every day that America is in Iraq and Afghanistan. There are corporations that borrow money just to keep themselves financially afloat; it doesn't always work. There are people who owe as much on their college tuitions as they do on mortgages and we're seeing them default on both of them big time. There's even a National Debt Clock in New York that ticks away how much money were losing every second, every moment. And then, there's the credit card companies, who charge ridiculously inflated interest rates and usually go after the most vulnerable---the young, the old and the poor. These are just among the few facts depicted in James Scurlock's "Maxed Out", a muckraking documentary that will definitely make you think twice before taking out the plastic the next time you go to the mall. Or for that matter, to the gas station. The film focuses on the predatory lending practices that many of these financial institutions practice when it comes to credit cards. Scurlock makes a convincing point that a lot of the consumerism that engulfs our society today goes back to the Ronald Reagan years when materialism was deemed acceptable and many of the laws that prevented these practices were soon abolished. There are many interviews with people who have suffered greatly because of this, including a woman forced to have garage sales every week because of all the credit card bills she has to pay. We see how certain industries have flourished in the wake of all this debt, like the pawn shops. The filmmakers even manage to talk to a few of the credit collectors, who understandably go by a first-name basis, and they almost gleefully describe how calling these debt-ridden folks constantly is almost like being a pirate forcing the poor soul to "walk to plank". This cruelty certainly drives people to the breaking point; the film mentions a few suicides which may have been indirectly caused by massive credit card debt. The most revealing and interesting interviews here are with Elizabeth Warren, the savvy attorney who is now in charge of The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Her comments sbout how easily it is get sucked into debt in this country are so upfront and to the point that it's no wonder so many in the financial industry (and their ilk) have been trying desperately to discredit her or to have her fired. Mind you, this film was made just four years before the Oscar-winning "Inside Job", which described how the 2008 financial crisis nearly plunged the world into chaos. You watch "Maxed Out" and you realize that the seeds of that crisis were already in place. It wasn't until they sprouted that everyone realized how bad the situation was. And sadly, still is.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted October 1, 2010
Thought it was interesting and informative but it seemed short. The ending credits should have ended with metallica's master of puppets playing.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted October 1, 2010
First of all this documentary was a little disjointed and not well organized. It really needed a narrarator, but anyways. My biggest complaint was that the film makers forget all about the idea personal responsibility. The lady who had large gambling debts on her cards and committed suicide since her husband was about to find out...somehow that is the credit card's fault? And the two college students who committed suicide after running up approx $12,000 in consumber debt? Why didn't they feel guilty and ashamed when they were at the store buying worthless junk? If you watch the special features there is a little clip with Dave Ramsey where he agrees that credit card companies are bad but emphasizes the role of personal responsibility when it comes to spending. This should have been more prevalent in the movie.
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Posted October 1, 2010
This is the best documentary ever.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted October 1, 2010
A great DVD that made me take a hard look at the credit card companies and their practices when previously I was very focused on personal responsibility. (why can't they pay their own bills, bankruptcy is the 'easy' way out, etc.) Seems almost a conspiracy to keep the poor down. Like so many other college students I was given credit cards with 20% interest rates and limits over $10,000 (I made about $6000 at the time)while I came out of it ok, too many of my friends didn't. The only problem I have is with the 'extra' about Dave Ramsey which comes off like a big commercial for his products and his radio show. Hmm.
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Overview