8 / 10
Busted! Remember when Lori Loughlin, also known as Aunt Becky from Full House, got arrested by the feds for paying her daughters' way into USC? Well, here's a case in point documentary of the corrupt advantages that can come with deep pockets.
Brought to you by the makers of Fyre and Tiger King.
Wow - this was SO RECENT it's nuts. We’re talking March of 2019. Well, I guess it just goes to show how lucrative crime documentaries have become, and it’s a little disgusting how quickly these come out in my opinion.
Rick Singer, the self-proclaimed college academic coach, holds the keys to the “side door” of some of the top US academic institutions but for a very steep price. If only his clients knew how much it would ultimately cost in the end.
This documentary was a bit different in how it took an authentic approach to recreate the events that unfolded, which I appreciated as a viewer. The filmmakers were permitted ACTUAL phone calls released by the FBI between Singer and his client families. This made it much more dramatic and interesting to watch.
Outside of the lies and bribery, this film also illuminates the corrupt potential of standardized testing, and how it is a flawed and easily manipulated system to rank academics. My one complaint with this film is how, in a way, it leans to glamourize the villain, Rick Singer. My biggest fear of criminal documentaries is that we are not only casting a sobering, critique on crime but also giving them fame and attention.
The doc delivers palpable exclusivity- you feel the rush with the acceptance and heartbreak at the rejection. The spotlight shines heavily on the wealthy children, born into a privileged world with endless resources at their fingertips, with parents eager to foot the bill. Infinite choices of schools and great education anywhere if you want, even if you did not earn it. When you reach a certain level of wealth you need that level of power, and a little bribery is a small price to pay to maintain at the top.
For many, the wealthy both fascinate and disgust us. It's refreshing for justice to be served.
tl;dr
Was it good? - Yeah, I'd recommend it.
Date flick? - Relevant? Check! Interesting? Check!
Comments