Name: Make People Better
Genre: Documentary

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Galen M

Make People Better takes the audience behind the scenes to peek into the reality of an international elite culture of scientists and technologists, who truly are shaping the future of human life with the decisions they make each day. My favorite part of the film is the gradual peeling back of the layers of the onion, ultimately (for me) leading to the conclusion that the international genetics sciences community is quietly dominated by American scientists, culture, media, and public perception, who get to have their cake and eat it too while Chinese counterparts are looked upon with suspicion and fear. The film delves into the secret experiment led by Chinese scientist Dr. Jiankui He, who in 2018 became the first to genetically modify the embryos of twin girls somewhere in China. These girls are out there somewhere, although very few people outside of the Chinese Communist Party know where they are, or how they are faring. The real importance of the project is that it begins to hold both the American-led scientific establishment and the Chinese Communist Party accountable for respective roles in setting up the situation we're in now - we now have our first known genetically edited humans walking around. Their DNA has been edited using CRISPR, a relatively new technology which scientists have not had enough time to research thoroughly. What's so compelling is that the audience's interpretation of who is at fault, and what is really most important in the debate around whether or not to proceed implementing these kinds of technologies, is a matter of perspective. Should we prioritize the prevention of innumerable suffering and death at the hands of genetically curable diseases? Or should we be more concerned about potential unintended consequences of meddling with the very code that dictates the health of our species? Where do we draw the line between necessary medical interventions and that slippery slope into the divergence of the genetically edited privileged and the unedited majority? This film is just the beginning of a very big conversation that society largely is not having at the present moment. It deserves big credit for diving in and getting us started.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/01/23

Full Review

Cody S

This review by Robert Cook Deagan is most thoughtful and well rounded of the many we received. https://issues.org/crispr-make-people-better-documentary-cook-deegan/ "The movie has no clear narrative arc and no clean moral message—but those are features, not bugs. The film is a nearly real-time account of a major event, and it studiously avoids tidy conclusions and lists of lessons. The result is that the filmmakers have produced a work that enables deep exploration of a highly complicated subject. I missed many of the subthemes on my first viewing, and the film will continue to stimulate new observations on subsequent viewings. Make People Better is a real story populated by flawed humans and fallible institutions and infused with politics, money, and ambition. Different viewers will find different themes. Those interested in emerging technologies and bioethics can use this film to stimulate discussion about the wisdom of human genetic engineering. Students of politics and global science have a case to illustrate how China's technoscientific ambitions and authoritarian politics affect science and medicine. Those interested in science and science policy will focus on how the push for being first tempts researchers to jump the gun, and how the institutional constraints intended to protect people studied in human research can fail."

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/23/23

Full Review

Chris J

MOVIE REVIEW Make People Better – Genre: Documentary Year Released: 2022 Runtime: 1h 32m Director(s): Cody Sheehy Where To Watch: Releasing on VOD December 13th RAVING REVIEW: A future where technology can fix all of our health issues. But wait, not everyone is on board with this; sometimes it's okay to ask questions but putting a roadblock in front of life-saving technologies isn't the way to go. Directed by award-winning filmmaker Cody Sheehy, the film explores some fascinating and sometimes controversial uses of technology to enhance the human mind and body. I was impressed with how many interviews they had throughout the film, from neuroscientists to lawmakers and everything in between; the film offers a wide range of perspectives on the subject. This makes for an exciting experience; the film is somewhere between a documentary and a sci-fi thriller (that's leaked out into real life.) The movie digs into the themes and dives into the benefits and drawbacks of using technology to enhance humans. Overall, the positives always outweigh the negatives in this reviewer's eyes. The ability to cure diseases and ailments that prevent people from leading everyday lives is worth the world. I will say that caution should be used, but as a whole, we should be moving forward with every advance we can. Where some questions are raised would be in the world of fair play, we already live in a world where money can buy almost anything. What if we get to the point where money can buy physical enhancements that will allow one person to have a better life? It's an interesting question, but it's one we're not too far removed from already. Throughout the film, you constantly question if what you're watching is real. I don't know if that's a negative or not. Often it feels like science fiction, but at the same time, we know it isn't; this is real life. There are life-saving surgeries that some aren't eligible for simply because they can't afford them. This human flaw needs to be resolved before we advance technology so far that it becomes a tool to wipe out the poor. Some terminology would be a stretch, but overall, if you have a basic understanding of science, you should be able to follow along pretty easily. This would be an excellent film for anyone interested in this type of science. While the topic of the film is rather heavy-handed, I think it was edited together so that pretty much anyone can follow along. For more reviews and my YouTube channel, please visit linktr.ee/Overlyhonestmoviereviews Follow me on Letterboxd, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Find my social media accounts on most platforms simply by searching Overly Honest Movie Reviews. I'm always happy to hear from my readers; please say hi or send me any questions about movies.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

12/13/22

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Cody Sheehy

Director

He Jiankui

Self

Ben Hurlbut

Self

Antonio Regalado

Self

George Church

Self

Paul Mozur

Self

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Make People Better: Trailer 1

1:30

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Beandrea July

New York Times

A glut of animations and B-roll footage makes the film’s visuals feel convoluted, and a flat narrative structure further muddies the waters.

Dec 14, 2022

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Synopsis

In 2018, the Chinese scientist Dr. He Jiankui crossed a Rubicon in human evolution by altering the genetic structure of embryos to produce the world's first genome-edited babies. This controversial experiment, supported by China's government and top U.S. scientists, led to an international uproar and swift moves by Chinese authorities to disappear not just Dr. He, but the twin girls whose genes he had edited. The documentary thriller MAKE PEOPLE BETTER reveals the unknown story behind this historic scientific event from the perspectives of those who were there including a whistleblower's testimony, never-before-seen interviews with He Jiankui, and the depiction of a world being awakened to a future where rival governments and corporations compete to make designer babies the new normal.

Director: Cody Sheehy
Producer: Geralyn White Dreyfous, Christopher Gebhardt, Randy Gebhardt, Geoffrey O'Connor, Trina Wyatt
Production Co: Rhumbline Media, Diamond Docs, Random Good
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 13, 2022
Runtime: 1h 23m

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