Storm Lake

Play trailer

Storm Lake

2021

1h 25m

Documentary

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

88%

Tomatometer

17 Reviews

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Dark clouds hang over the cornfields of Storm Lake, Iowa, which has seen its fair share of change in the 40 years since Big Agriculture came to town. Farmers blow their life savings on new equipment they hope will keep their livelihoods intact. Migrant workers flock here--welcome and not--for their slice of the American Dream. The people of Storm Lake confront a changing and precarious existence. Enter: Art Cullen and his family members who deliver local news and editorials on a shoestring budget for their 3,000 readers. This paper means a fighting chance for their beloved hometown, and by hook or by crook, they'll make the most of it. There's simply too much at stake.

David Rooney

The Hollywood Reporter

06/28/2021

A vital celebration of the role of community-based news gathering at a time when media revenues are way down and the credibility of the press has taken a hammering across much of the country.

Go to Full Review

Phil Guie

Film-Forward.com

04/17/2022

4.5/5

In some of the most telling moments, we observe the trust between the paper and its readership, even among those with differing political opinions who nevertheless rely on it to keep up on whats happening in the community.

Go to Full Review

Loren King

Newport This Week (RI)

12/06/2021

Storm Lake is an understated but urgent paean to old-fashioned local journalism as vital to the lifeblood of the communities it serves.

Go to Full Review

Ricardo Gallegos

Shuffle Online

11/12/2021

A pleasant documentary that focuses on the power of journalism to create change.

Go to Full Review

Stephen Silver

Broad Street Review

10/29/2021

4/5

Not much of what Storm Lake has to stay about the plight of newspapers is particularly new at this point, but Art Cullen proves a fantastic documentary protagonist

Go to Full Review

Evan Dossey

Midwest Film Journal

10/26/2021

Touching documentary about the importance of a dying profession.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Jerry Risius

Director

Beth Levison

Director

Art Cullen

Actor

Beth Levison

Producer

Katy Drake Bettner

Executive Producer

Sam Bisbee

Executive Producer

Two Gods

100%

%

Two Gods

Watchlist

As We Speak: Rap Music on Trial

87%

73%

As We Speak: Rap Music on Trial

Watchlist

TRAILER

for As We Speak: Rap Music on Trial

Us Kids

87%

100%

Us Kids

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Us Kids

Born to Play

100%

%

Born to Play

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Born to Play

Daughters

100%

91%

Daughters

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

Dark clouds hang over the cornfields of Storm Lake, Iowa, which has seen its fair share of change in the 40 years since Big Agriculture came to town. Farmers blow their life savings on new equipment they hope will keep their livelihoods intact. Migrant workers flock here--welcome and not--for their slice of the American Dream. The people of Storm Lake confront a changing and precarious existence. Enter: Art Cullen and his family members who deliver local news and editorials on a shoestring budget for their 3,000 readers. This paper means a fighting chance for their beloved hometown, and by hook or by crook, they'll make the most of it. There's simply too much at stake.

Director: Jerry Risius, Beth Levison
Producer: Beth Levison
Production Co: Good Gravy Films, ITVS, Foothill Productions, Corporation of Public Broadcasting, Catapult Film Fund, Park Pictures, Ford Foundation - Just Films, The Fledgling Fund
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Runtime: 1h 25m

Most Popular at Home Now