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Counted Out

Play trailer Poster for Counted Out 2024 1h 31m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 4 Reviews Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
Counted Out investigates the biggest crises of our time--political polarization, racial and economic inequity, a global pandemic, and climate change--through an unexpected lens: math. In our current information economy, math is everywhere. The people we date, the news we see, the influence of our votes, the candidates who win elections, the education we have access to, the jobs we get--all of it is underwritten by an invisible layer of math that few of us understand, or even notice. But whether we know it or not, our numeric literacy--whether we can speak the language of math--is a critical determinant of social and economic power. Through a mosaic of personal stories, expert interviews, and scenes of math transformation in action, Counted Out shows what's at risk if we keep the status quo. Do we want an America in which most of us don't consider ourselves "math people"? Where math proficiency goes down as students grow up? Or do we want a country where everyone can understand the math that undergirds our society--and can help shape it?

Critics Reviews

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Alan French Sunshine State Cineplex There is creativity in math, not only in how the data is interpreted, but in how it is utilized to better the world. Counted Out peels back these layers to expose the power we can wield. Rated: 6/10 Oct 9, 2025 Full Review Avi Offer NYC Movie Guru A well-edited, illuminating and empowering documentary. Oct 1, 2025 Full Review Simon Foster Screen-Space (Substack) I don’t think I fully realised my own level of ‘numerical anxiety’ until I saw Vicki Abeles’ Counted Out, a siren call against maths illiteracy and one of the most bewilderingly moving factual films in recent memory. Rated: 4/5 Sep 24, 2025 Full Review Wade Major FilmWeek (LAist) It's a little bit scary, but it's hopeful and says we can still catch up. Feb 11, 2025 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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NYAnette The movie authors want to convince us that math is taught wrong and we should teach math in a more collaborative, student-driven way, but, contrary to their message about the importance of data and math, they don't provide any convincing data to support this thesis - just a few teary anecdotes (and, as any statistician knows, anecdotes don't prove anything). If anything, the data seems to prove the opposite: the rigorous math education in 60th/70th lead to a great increase in STEM performance, while results started sliding down nationally around the time (2013, or so) when curricula were being watered down in the name of "inclusion". So, please be true to the message of your movie and show us the data. The message about the role of math/statistics, etc. in today's world and about the importance of being able to understand data is spot on. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 10/04/25 Full Review Read all reviews
Counted Out

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Cast & Crew

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Vicki Abeles

Director

Vicki Abeles

Writer

Michael Chandler

Writer

Vicki Abeles

Producer

Nancy Blachman

Producer

Michael Chandler

Producer
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Counted Out

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Movie Info

Synopsis Counted Out investigates the biggest crises of our time--political polarization, racial and economic inequity, a global pandemic, and climate change--through an unexpected lens: math. In our current information economy, math is everywhere. The people we date, the news we see, the influence of our votes, the candidates who win elections, the education we have access to, the jobs we get--all of it is underwritten by an invisible layer of math that few of us understand, or even notice. But whether we know it or not, our numeric literacy--whether we can speak the language of math--is a critical determinant of social and economic power. Through a mosaic of personal stories, expert interviews, and scenes of math transformation in action, Counted Out shows what's at risk if we keep the status quo. Do we want an America in which most of us don't consider ourselves "math people"? Where math proficiency goes down as students grow up? Or do we want a country where everyone can understand the math that undergirds our society--and can help shape it?
Director
Vicki Abeles
Producer
Vicki Abeles, Nancy Blachman, Michael Chandler, Amy Ferraris
Screenwriter
Vicki Abeles, Michael Chandler
Distributor
Reel Link Films
Production Co
Reel Link Films
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 18, 2024, Limited
Runtime
1h 31m