carbuff It might not be right for my sex or age, but all I can say is OMG. All things considered, I fall somewhat on the left side of politics, but this grating, self-satisfied and shallow presentation does not reflect well on liberals. I prefer documentaries to take a position, whether I agree with it or not, and possibly this film made a couple of original points (although I can't seem to remember any--probably due to that distracting unpleasant taste left in my mouth), but the smugness is overwhelming and off-putting, unless, I suppose, you are a classic limousine liberal, in which case this thing no doubt rates ten stars and then some. This production is devoid of facts and data--it's mostly just lazy pontificating from "the good and great." As a rule of thumb, when you bring in a Pete Seeger cameo, you're not going for the thinking part of the brain. As Lapham condescendingly rambles on and on and on, you're only left wondering if he is really that unbelievably full of himself? While I am familiar with and respect the humanities, when Lapham sneered at mathematics as if it was fit only for petty minds, it made me a bit sick. How exactly does he suppose his comfortable life is built and constructed? I'm sure the Morlocks are going to say that Lapham tastes just like chicken. This endeavor was obviously intended to make right wingers look bad, but it wound up exceeding its ambitions and made everybody look bad. Just further evidence, as if more were really needed, that our "Ruling Class," regardless of Ivy League educations and political affiliations, is pretty much a bunch of idiotic dorks with unwarranted superiority complexes.

bwilder50 I'll first agree with other reviewers that the musical sequences are hokey and awkwardly inserted. I don't have much to add beyond that, except for the closing sequence (we'll return to that in a moment).This film seems a little confused as to whether it contains a message of noblesse oblige or "workers of the world unite!" Lewis Lapham is himself a caricature of an American elite: Ivy League and Cambridge educated, the editor of an elite northeastern publication, and father of children married, respectively, to a prince, and to the daughter of a Canadian prime minister. However, he seems to believe that the American ruling class is comprised of those in pursuit of profit rather than those born into, and thoroughly moving about and between the oldest, most exclusive and elite circles of American, and indeed global society. He seems, however, not to consider himself part of the American ruling class and instead focuses on Wall Street -- a flawed and privileged sector of American society, but far less exclusive and more meritocratic that the world Lapham inhabits.Lapham hires two actors to portray recent graduates of Yale (again, a bastion of pedigreed exclusivity) faced with the choice of whether to, in Lapham's words, do well or do good. Hence the noblesse oblige. However, so much of the movie concentrates on the plight of the working class (for instance, servers at IHOP)-- people who could win the lottery tomorrow and still have no hope of ever being welcome at the Upper East Side cocktail parties in which Lapham's ilk socialize.The final musical sequence refers to the "fall of empires," and uses children dressed to portray various professions and segments of American society rebelling against Lapham's caricature of the ruling class. However, the children meant to be understood as the rulers are dressed as doctors and lawyers -- professions long seen as the attainable achievements of the middle class resulting from hard work and education -- not necessarily of pedigreed elites. A doctor educated at a state medical school may indeed make a very good living, but he/she is arguably far less elite than the head of a non-profit foundation born to old money and educated in the Ivy Leagues.Lapham seems confused about the difference between two corollary conversations: the divide between elites and the masses, or the inequality between professionals and the working class. I would guess this results from a very limited perspective. Very few of us probably regard ourselves as part of the ruling class, and I'd imagine Lapham is no different. I can't think of a more ironic example, though.I recommend seeing this movie, not because it raises the issues it intends, but because it exposes one of the ongoing contradictions of so- called limousine liberals. People born into generations of privilege, moving seamlessly between the most elite and exclusive sectors of society, but unceasingly concerned with others they consider elites: ironically inhabitants of the professions most likely to move members of the middle class upward. The conspiracy-minded might attribute this to a desire on the part of elites to attack the vehicles most likely to allow others into their club. I tend to think it's more likely that Lapham just doesn't understand how elite he is.

bloodshot_sky The American ruling class is a documentary about students who recently graduated from prestigious schools and how they are shown the world of the lower middle class in order to deter their recent banking/upper middle class related job opportunities.The points of this movie are extremely valid, the upper middle class rule this country and the direction it should head in. but this film really smashes the audience over the head with the opinion of the film maker. Every scene and and every line of dialogue is so heavily ham fisted that it becomes annoying and loses it's credentials long after those tree ferns surrounding the title leave the opening scene. Anyone can hear these opinions if they visit their local ghetto or talk to a friend with a financial difficulty. This movie doesn't offer much to the discussion and it's extremely hard to take seriously. unless you live under a rock, or think that living to paycheck to paycheck is alright, then you know that something is wrong with the economic system and that capitalism isn't all that it's hyped up to to be. That is pretty much the point of this movie, but the problem with it is that it doesn't offer a solution. It doesn't give any useful insight to the problems effect the economic inequality of America nor does it show how it could change for the better. In fact, it tells of how a couple of high graduate students with potential futures decide to give up on making a living in order to pursue the message of the film, which doesn't seem to make sense because they pretty much said that they will not make a difference in the economy by joining the companies that rule it and changing the companies from the inside but try to spread awareness by promoting a weak message across the nation. and to be honest, the solution seems to be blaming rich people for the lower classes problems...

pianogirly This film is a must see for recent college grads or really anyone trying to figure out their place in this world. This film is truly a marvel...not only does it transcend neat classifications, "documentary," "drama," "musical" (of which it is all three) it elevates the subject matter-what are the social responsibilities and realities for those to whom much is given?- to a call for a generation to re-examine their blind ambition and think of the world their actions are creating. This film grapples, as many of us do, with the trade-offs between doing the things you love or that will benefits those around you, and ascending the ladder of success and fortune.What is truly remarkable about this film is how effectively it uses satire to drive home its point. It resists condescension and engages the audience as intelligent, thinking beings. (finally!) A tour of affluence and influence in America, it sports a cast of very interesting and accomplished people. The "actors" - in a Q&A with the director we learned that the kids were not trained actors but actually recent Harvard and Princeton grads - delivered honest performances. Not to mention the fact that Lewis Lapham is a riot. I would be remiss if I failed to mention that there is stunning fusion of the message of the film with the film's musical numbers.Well done, original and powerful.