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The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz

Play trailer Poster for The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz 2014 1h 45m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
93% Tomatometer 59 Reviews 91% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Filmmaker Brian Knappenberger explores the life and work of programming prodigy and information activist Aaron Swartz.
The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Informative and enraging in equal measure, The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz uses its subject's tragic tale to deliver an impassioned call to action.

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Critics Reviews

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Joe McGovern Entertainment Weekly 12/03/2014
B
Talking (egg)heads reiterate outrage over the Obama Justice Department's witch hunt against him, but Swartz's ex-girlfriend adds heart when she tearfully recalls first seeing the ''end date'' on his Wikipedia page. Go to Full Review
Mark Kermode Observer (UK) 08/31/2014
3/5
Knappenberger argues that the case against Swartz was overzealously pursued in order to make an example of him and on the evidence presented here it's hard to disagree. Go to Full Review
Leslie Felperin Guardian 08/28/2014
4/5
The film builds up a portrait of a brilliant, driven, complex young man who's likely to be an iconic figure in the future, a sort of digital-age Che Guevara. Go to Full Review
Brent McKnight The Last Thing I See 07/07/2020
B+
Both moves and outrages, enticing the audience to action. It may not be the most exciting, sexy documentary out there, but it makes viewers feel its subject deeply. Go to Full Review
Frank Ochieng Popoptiq 03/01/2019
3/4
The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz simmers with sadness, cynicism and starkness yet never once turns its back on the celebrated digital-aged declaration in a chosen soul out to right the wrong and mince politics with printout sheets. Go to Full Review
Benjamin Gummery Battle Royale With Cheese 10/14/2018
4/5
An insightful look into one individual's struggle with government information policy that has much wider implications. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Estefania d Jan 3 Recuerdo siempre con cariño esta película porque muestran grandes valores sobre Aaron Swartz y su enorme trabajo por la libertad en internet. Siempre agradecida con él en la distancia del tiempo y el espacio. See more Tony S 06/22/2022 From the perspective of "what could have been" that this documentary is trying to paint, it is not that compelling. But it is clear that Aaron Swartz accomplished in his short life more than most of us could hope for in a lifetime. It's also really devastating that such a brilliant mind could not cope with the prospect of admitting defeat to the government. What is most interesting about the subject is Aaron's seemingly genuine altruism. I have no idea as to what the documentary omits, but it truly feels like Swartz's passion for free information was his main driving force. The documentary itself is fine, tries to be overdramatic to its own detriment, and switches to SOPA to such a degree that you'd think that's what the whole film is about. But the soundtrack is decent and some of the moments are really touching, even if the longer it goes on, the less and less you can relate to Swartz on almost any level. See more 11/17/2021 Good and compelling. Two hours long but barely felt it. An amazing person, let his soul rest in peace. See more 11/08/2020 A thought provoking documentary See more 09/11/2017 The first half of this documentary tells an interesting tale of a young man with programming talent and a lot of potential. It also spoils the conclusion so I will as well: Swartz commits sucide when facing felony charges for copyright infringement. The actions that led to that prosecution make for a good 45 minute story. Unfortunately the second half is a cross between filler and issue advocacy. It features a lot of people saying that SOPA (the Stop Internet Piracy Act) as proposed at the time was a badly-written bill. Which, perhaps it was. But this was not a quality presentation on the issue of piracy and oegislation. More importantly, it's not part of the story other than the fact that Swartz cared about it. In the end, Aaron Swartz should have used a little self-restraint in his campaign against copyright. And perhaps fittingly, the director should have done so as well. See more vincent h 03/10/2017 emotion-stirring modern-day tragedy See more Read all reviews
The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz

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Movie Info

Synopsis Filmmaker Brian Knappenberger explores the life and work of programming prodigy and information activist Aaron Swartz.
Director
Brian Knappenberger
Screenwriter
Brian Knappenberger
Distributor
FilmBuff, Participant Media
Production Co
Luminent Media
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 27, 2014, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 26, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$48.9K
Runtime
1h 45m