In Debt We Trust
September 2007 Reviewed by: Marc Mickelson Format: DVD	(all ratings out of 5): Overall Enjoyment Picture Quality Packaged Extras Sound Quality

Whatever happened to the idea of "living within your means"? In Debt We Trust gives the answer: It is a quaint notion that a number of large banks have worked long and hard to destroy. This film is an exposé on "the hidden financial complex" that makes credit an essential part of modern life, but it's far from a dry economics lesson. It combines interviews with financial experts and ordinary people up to their necks in debt, film clips, and some wry narration from director Danny Schechter to make an entertaining movie about a sobering topic. If debt is overwhelming you, you'll find solace in the stories of others in the same position; if you are free from debt, you'll consider yourself doubly fortunate.

As the movie points out, Americans are addicted to credit. Consumer debt has doubled in the last ten years, and our government is in no better shape, with a National Debt that's fast approaching $10 trillion. While the government may never pay that debt off, citizens won't be so lucky. Bankruptcy protection has become harder to obtain, and so has saying no to credit. It's pushed to college freshman, who presumably have the least opportunity to pay off their balances before interest charges kick in, as part of a larger plan to shape their attitudes toward credit and debt. "Deadbeats" are no longer those who can't pay their bills; they are instead those who pay their credit card balances in full, so they don't accrue interest. Yes, it's a topsy-turvy situation, but it's why credit card companies spend so much money on advertising, and it works.

The DVD's video image is clean and bright, and the stereo sound is very clear -- ideal for the movie's ample dialogue. The extras are scant -- interviews with the producer and director, as well as with actress Lorraine Bracco, who filed for bankruptcy. With a number of high-profile books written on this subject, extended interviews with some opinionated experts like Harvard Law professor Elizabeth Warren or syndicated radio talk-show host Dave Ramsey would have made this DVD even more of a resource. Still, the movie is packed with information, and the slight extras don't detract from it. With this release, Disinformation Company has added to its catalog of provocative and well-made documentaries on subjects of contemporary importance. Because of the crisis in America's subprime lending market, this movie is especially relevant right now.

In Debt We Trust shows that while individuals get themselves into debt, the US government doesn't seem all that concerned about the effect on such a large chunk of the population. The banks, of course, are ecstatic. If you pay your credit card balances in full each month and have no other debt, or have a conventional mortgage that you can afford, good for you. You may think that this is the rule for Americans, but it's the exception. "Living within your debt" is the new rule.

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