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America's Burning

Play trailer Poster for America's Burning 2024 1h 23m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 4 Reviews Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
From Executive Producers Michael Douglas and Barry Levinson, America's Burning draws on an amazing collection of thinkers and strategists, from James Carville and Amy Chua to Ian Bremmer and Leon Panetta, as New York Times best-selling author David Smick guides the viewer on a journey to discover the reasons for today's hate and division -- and rising risk of civil war. For 40 years, the US economy has been a paradox. It’s been an extraordinary wealth-creating machine, but only for the half of the country that owns stocks. Capitalism has, as James Carville put it, become "a racket" -- the ultimate corporate insider's club, a system centrally controlled by the well-connected few. As a result, the middle class is shrinking and the American Dream's promise of social mobility for all who work hard is dying. A new Velvet Rope Society of brains and money has cut itself off from the rest of America. Working families feel forgotten and angry, but it doesn't have to be this way. America has an impressive history of resilience. Narrated by Michael Douglas, the film shows why our best days could still lie ahead.
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America's Burning

Critics Reviews

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Louisa Moore Screen Zealots Jan 4
Despite its "preaching to the choir" tone, this documentary is a well-edited, articulate examination of why so many Americans feel disillusioned with their country. Go to Full Review Stephen Silver The SS Ben Hecht 11/08/2024
The conclusion: “Our nation is bitterly divided, and the only solution is for everyone in both parties to come together and do everything I want.” Go to Full Review Avi Offer NYC Movie Guru 07/13/2024
Provocative, timely and slickly-edited. It ultimately bites off more than it could chew. The solution sounds hopeful and optimistic, but oversimplified and not very practical. Go to Full Review Christopher Llewellyn Reed Film Festival Today 06/30/2024
1/5
I concur that the current state of affairs in the country is lamentable—even incendiary—but the why and the how, not to mention the what to do about it, is far more complicated than it appears here. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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SkyRo P @TheMovieSearch May 14 "America's Burning" is a documentary currently available on Prime Video. As someone who enjoys documentaries about U.S. history, I found this one to be quite underwhelming. It lacked the engaging storytelling that typically draws me in, making it difficult to stay focused. The presentation felt monotonous, with nothing to really captivate or inspire interest. Watching it felt like a tedious experience, almost like a recycled history lesson. There was a distinct lack of creativity that would normally make learning enjoyable. Instead of feeling enlightened, I found myself feeling disengaged and bored, as if I were stuck in a classroom rather than experiencing a compelling narrative. Overall, I cannot recommend it. It simply didn't hold my interest and was far too dull. See more Joe P May 5 It's just another terrible YouTube video. Stock footage of people laughing in an office, and lots of other terrible stock footage integrated with somewhat interesting interviews. Michael Douglas narrates this YouTube video and he sounds pissed. It's everything we hear everyday on the news, podcasts and social media. Waist of time. See more Moody C @MoodyC 07/18/2024 Boring doom & gloom. Nothing you don’t alredy know. Dramatization of new Civil War looks cheesy See more Read all reviews
America's Burning

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Cast & Crew

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David Smick

Director

Michael Douglas

Narrator

James Carville

Self

Ian Bremmer

Self

Leon Panetta

Self

James Baker

Self
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America's Burning

America's Burning (2024) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis From Executive Producers Michael Douglas and Barry Levinson, America's Burning draws on an amazing collection of thinkers and strategists, from James Carville and Amy Chua to Ian Bremmer and Leon Panetta, as New York Times best-selling author David Smick guides the viewer on a journey to discover the reasons for today's hate and division -- and rising risk of civil war. For 40 years, the US economy has been a paradox. It’s been an extraordinary wealth-creating machine, but only for the half of the country that owns stocks. Capitalism has, as James Carville put it, become "a racket" -- the ultimate corporate insider's club, a system centrally controlled by the well-connected few. As a result, the middle class is shrinking and the American Dream's promise of social mobility for all who work hard is dying. A new Velvet Rope Society of brains and money has cut itself off from the rest of America. Working families feel forgotten and angry, but it doesn't have to be this way. America has an impressive history of resilience. Narrated by Michael Douglas, the film shows why our best days could still lie ahead.
Director
David Smick
Producer
Ian Michaels
Distributor
Abramorama
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jul 12, 2024, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 21, 2025
Runtime
1h 23m
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