Maxed Out

How interesting can a film about America's consumer debt crisis possibly be? said Ann Hornaday in The Washington Post. Very. Business school graduate James Scurlock 'œhas made a taut and entertaining film' about the tactics that 'œpredatory lenders' use to squeeze money from the country's poorest debtors. Scurlock showcases a lending industry that intentionally targets the weakest consumers—college students, the elderly, and the mentally retarded—in order to reap the late fees and interest that pile up on those who can pay only their minimum balance. Some of Scurlock's subjects are relatives of people who committed suicide to escape their debts. Yet Scurlock treats this complicated, serious situation far too simply, said Glenn Whipp in the Los Angeles Daily News. Certainly lenders' tactics must be curtailed, but we can't blame our credit crisis entirely on the system. Scurlock 'œsomehow manages to spend nearly 90 minutes without ever mentioning the concept of personal responsibility.' This movie's execution is scattershot, but it 'œstill has an impact,' said Stephen Holden in The New York Times. After all, the median credit card debt for American households is $9,000, adding up to a national total of $2.4 trillion. Scurlock's warning against easy credit is one that every American should take to heart.

Rating: Not Rated

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