The Greatest Movie Ever Sold Directed by: Morgan Spurlock Starring: Morgan Spurlock Rating: PG-13 Release Date: April 22, 2011
TRAILER SCORE: 8/10
MY THOUGHTS: Morgan Spurlock has always been one of those documentarians that I want to like more than I actually do, but it seems like he may have finally found a product worth selling. Pun absolutely intended. The idea of a movie about product placement paid for by sponsors is an intriguing one. I mean, you can't help but wonder how the corporations that have thrown their money into this feel about the portrayal of the industry. My only beef with the movie is the idea that they keep suggesting people are unaware of advertising. Sure, there's a fair share of rather subliminal advertising and I certainly hope that this documentary will go more into the "hidden" aspects of advertising, but there's a moment or two where they refer to consumers as virtually unaware of the industry. If The Greatest Movie Ever Sold can avoid sweeping generalizations such as "all Americans are unaware that they're being marketed to", it has the potential to be a really powerful film. As it stands now, it looks like a somewhat cursory glance, but Spurlock's delivery and even the folks he's managed to get involved in the project, judging from the trailer alone, make this movie something I'd be interested in seeing. However, I'm just trying to figure out how that works in the grand scheme of the documentary's intentions. I mean, doesn't it seem wrong to anyone else to pay to see a documentary about the economics of advertising in movies? Still, Spurlock sold me on this one before it's even hit the theaters.