The Unknown Known

PG-13

Released Apr 4, 2014

1 hr. 42 min.

Documentary

List

81%

106 Reviews

Tomatometer

70%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Donald Rumsfeld discusses his political career, from his days as a congressman to planning the invasion of Iraq.

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Critics Consensus

Viewers hoping to see Donald Rumsfeld admit making mistakes in public office (or hoping Errol Morris will force him to give straight answers) may find The Unknown Known frustrating -- but no less fascinating.

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Audience Member

I found the movie to be thought provoking and intriguing. The man being interviewed was allowed to present their thoughts without being interrupted or pushed into a corner. Although the movie veers to being anti-Iraqi war, it still allows plenty of room for the audience to draw their own conclusions. It helps that Rumsfeld is an intruding man to listen to, and the accompanying soundtrack is phenomenal. The reason I didn't give it 5 stars was that it felt a bit too long to watch in one sitting.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/27/23

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Audience Member

Fascinating historical documentary. This is an extended interview of Donald Rumsfeld. He shares his eyewitness account of some of the most interesting moments in political history.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/04/23

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Audience Member

There is much to learn in paying very close attention to what Rumsfeld has to say and how he thinks. He is clearly a very intelligent person who thinks deeply. He did tell truth to power at times. I would say if you are the type of person who is interested in history and politics this is a must-see documentary. If you are an intellectual type you will also enjoy this documentary as Rumsfeld is indeed intellectual. If you are looking for a "mea culpa" asking for forgiveness well forget it. Rumsfeld is not one for apologies or regrets. He is no Robert McNamara like the "Fog of War" documentary Morris did long before this one. That said the closest he comes to an apology is for how the Abu Ghraib prison abuse occurred. In many ways, he is emotionally detached from what happened in his time in government and what happened to the people who were impacted by his decisions and actions. In some ways, he reminds me of the "good soldier" who was following orders. You will have to see the documentary and come to your own conclusions on Rumsfeld and if this documentary shed any light on the situation or not. That said I found it very interesting and profound myself.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/12/23

Full Review

Justin R

A solid, interesting documentary although strangely not as engaging as Morris' earlier work The Fog of War. Rumsfeld maintains his political doggedness throughout and many of the hard questions on Iraq and the War on Terror simply get lost behind his impenetrable grin. Nonetheless it's a fascinating and revelatory insight into the man and the events during his time in office. An enjoyable watch for political hacks and casual observers alike.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/04/21

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jeff s

Good insight into the decisions of Secretary Rumsfeld. It was a difficult time and numerous mistakes were made.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

Milton Friedman wanted Rumsfeld to be Reagan’s VP. He would have been elected president for two terms. History would be so different. This was an excellent movie.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/14/19

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Errol Morris

Director

Donald Rumsfeld

Self

Errol Morris

Self

Errol Morris

Producer

Amanda Branson Gill

Producer

Robert Fernandez

Producer

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Jason Bailey

Flavorwire

He poses simple questions and lets them talk, and talk, and talk. In doing so, he gives them enough rope to hang themselves.

Jun 18, 2016

Full Review

Jennifer Dworkin

Film Comment Magazine

Morris's commentary comes in the form of stunning images ... and a truly beautiful score ... The Unknown Known is revealing, but what it reveals is emptiness.

Apr 21, 2014

Full Review

Bill Stamets

Chicago Sun-Times

[A] scary inquiry.

Rated: 3/4

Apr 18, 2014

Full Review

Vadim Rizov

Filmmaker Magazine

Why not a new style rather than hiring someone to ape a past collaborator? That’s the exact problem repeated on every level.

Jan 25, 2023

Full Review

Jordan M. Smith

IONCINEMA.com

The film may not be Morris's strongest film, but it's certainly a worthy edition to the pantheon of investigative oddities he's been building over the course of the last three decades.

Rated: 3/5

Nov 4, 2020

Full Review

Daniel Green

CineVue

A gladiatorial bout for the Information Age, we may not come out knowing a much more than we did going in, but it's hard to dismiss the historical value Morris' interrogation may have in the future.

Rated: 4/5

Mar 8, 2019

Full Review

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Synopsis

Donald Rumsfeld discusses his political career, from his days as a congressman to planning the invasion of Iraq.

Director: Errol Morris
Executive Producer: Molly Thompson, Josh Braun, Dirk Hoogstra, Julian P. Hobbs, Jason Janego, Jeff Skoll, Diane Weyermann, Celia Taylor, Angus Wall, Julia Sheehan
Distributor: Radius TWC
Production Co: Moxie Pictures
Rating: PG-13 (Some Disturbing Images|Brief Nudity)
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 4, 2014, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 10, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $276.4K

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