Stupidity
December 2006 Reviewed by: Marc Mickelson Format: DVD	(all ratings out of 5): Overall Enjoyment Picture Quality Packaged Extras Sound Quality

Idiot, imbecile, and moron are used to describe those who do things contrary to their own well-being or that of others, but are they synonyms? Stupidity is a wise film that attempts to answer this surprisingly complex question while also discussing the reasons for the rampant stupidity in the world today. It begins with the words "This film was made by idiots," its narrator sounding more than a little like Lesley Nielsen, whose later movie roles relied on ignorance for their comic bite. Thus, this is not a dry, academic film, but one that reminds us that stupidity is a bona fide social trend and part of our very nature.

The movie argues that television, the good ol' idiot box, is the most effective stupidity-delivery system ever devised. Its programming exalts youth and sex to promote consumerism, expressly trying to prevent us from thinking or being challenged, bypassing our reasoning faculties to reach our "inner moron," that trigger for pulling out our wallets. Hollywood is no better, recycling the same childlike stories and thereby controlling the distribution of any real artistic expression. Of course, nowadays movies are made specifically to make money. They are filled with product placements, and their simple stories translate easily from one language to another, broadening their potential audience.

Amidst such a discussion, Noam Chomsky and Bill Maher are right at home. Stupidity is cut quickly, so watching it is rather like flipping through TV channels with a remote control. The staccato pacing and contributions from the talking heads make for a very funny and entertaining movie that, despite combining disparate video materials, looks good all the way through. Because the movie is primarily dialogue, the stereo sound seems like a decidedly wise choice as well. Extras include extended interviews with the stupidity experts shown in the movie, a Documentary Channel interview with the director, the theatrical trailer, a list of reading materials, and the director's commentary.

For the record, a moron has an IQ of 50-75, an imbecile of 25-50, and an idiot of 0-25. This is just one of the things I learned while watching this movie. While stupidity has its charms, there are obvious enticements to enlightenment. It takes a movie named Stupidity to remind us of this. How dumb is that?

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