User reviews

What interesting subject matter spanning decades of following kids born with silver spoons. And there definitely IS some interesting photography and inter views, but the biggest issue is that it fails to draw any big conclusions around the central theme. It feels a little bit like, "here is some info from my work as a journalist/photographer and make with it what you well." Which is fine, but it lacked follow-through thematically.

I enjoyed this film. It was very compelling. All profiles are of damaged people with a lot of regret. Including the film maker, who confesses her feelings of abandonment by her own mother as a child, only to repeat the cycle herself...

And, more broadly, an examination of how pathology typically leads to even more pathology -- presented here in the context of how kids raised with incomplete and unsatisfied childhoods end up raising their own kids with the same or similar problems, leading to a snowball effect of pathologies that plague our society in innumerable ways. This is the key takeaway, despite the filmmaker likely not intending it to be: that childcare is extremely important (obviously), and the chain reaction caused by inadequate childcare may very well end up being eventual cause for America's collapse.

As our nation's population has grown during Ms. Greenfield's lifetime; as time has progressed; as our economic system has found new aspects of life to commodify and squeeze into our GDP growth figures, the pathologies of our culture have ballooned in tandem with our economic "success." We may very well have passed the point of no return towards our societal collapse, as this film suggests. At the very least, we are precipitously close to it.

Though I would like to say that this film is a must-watch, for its observations and lessons are so important for our nation's future, I think that such a recommendation is actually futile. As the professional critic reviews exemplify, for some folks (dare I say the majority of the US), this film will fall on deaf ears. We are so deep into our system of delusional desires and vacuous goals that we require great shock to awake to the truth. For this, there is no substitute for lived experience. Hence, as the reviews make evident, those who have experienced something that made them realize the truth of this film FOR THEMSELVES have rated it highly, while others have dismissed it as meandering and inconclusive. In other words, this film reaffirms the conclusions drawn by those who have already learned these same lessons for themselves, while baffling and even aggravating those who just can't/don't understand. We find ourselves in an unfolding catastrophe that is too alluring and complex for most of us to be able to perceive clearly -- let alone do anything about.

In any case, thank you Ms. Greenfield for your effort in making this film, and in particular, your own introspection on how you (and your family) were in a way consumed by the pathologies of our society. This was powerful storytelling, beautifully filmed and narrated. 10/10

This is surely one of the most important stories we can be telling about the way we live now- the relentless pursuit for wealth and fame that obsesses up so many us. Celebrated photo journalist Lauren Greenfield brings her unique eye to bear on over twenty years of excess. The stories she focuses on are both appalling and touching. Greenfield looks at the wealthy LA teens of the 90s including a young Kim Kardashian and talks to the extraordinary disgraced hedge fund manager Florian Homm, a former porn star and most heartbreakingly of all a neglectful mother obsessed with plastic surgery. It's an idiosyncratic documentary about the pursuit of money as an inadequate sticking plaster over the pervading wounds of scarcity and lack we feel in a secular, fame obsessed society. Greenfield seems to acknowledge her own unreliability as a narrator by turning the camera on herself and her family and documenting her own absences from them as she relentlessly pursued her subjects over the years. It makes for an uneven narrative and a story without easy conclusions. But it felt truthful to me because of it. We're all in this mess together and we are all voyeurs.

Most of it is really interesting, but the way subjects are strung together is a bit sloppy at times, most noticeably during a very jumbled second half.

It's frustrating, because there are few scenes on their own that are boring or poorly made- it just suffers when it comes to editing, because the whole ends up feeling less than the sum of its parts.

Still, if you can get past that, there's some very interesting points raised, and it'll probably get you thinking and/or feeling about how intensely some people fixate on wealth, and just how much damage can be caused as a result of such an obsession.

It's a decent documentary, but with some better editing and more of a flow between scenes, could have been great or close to it...

Money can be a tricky thing: Despite nearly everyone's professing of the want of more of it, those that have it do not experience the seemingly requisite happiness or contentment. As a subject in this documentary says: "If you believe money can buy happiness, you obviously have never had money!". Everyone believes they can be the exception to the rule, but the results seem to indicate otherwise.

"Generation Wealth" is, at its core, a personal project from photojournalist/director Lauren Greenfield. She basically turned her camera lens toward the affluent around the world (we visit China, Russia, Europe, along with the U.S.), shot as many pics as possible, and then looked to see what interesting conclusions might be drawn from the experience.

For some reason, "Generation Wealth" receives very poor ratings from the critics, and I think I know the crux of the reason why: this is a very expansive, far-reaching documentary that severely lacks a thesis. Though the production value is very high, it lacks a true goal or thesis, instead throwing a bunch of wealth-related ideas out for thought and just letting them "sit there", so to speak.

The reason for this lack of coherent subject or purpose? In many respects, this is as much a personal journey for Greenfield, who grew up in the affluent LA suburbs and thus has a very personal stake in the entire discussion. Her relationships (documented on camera) with her own parents and immediate family/children bring an emotional punch to the doc that is much-appreciated (at least by this viewer). It's one thing to see how wealth affects the richest of Wall Street traders or international business tycoons. It's another to see how it can creep into day-to-day life of the "average" folk as well.

Usually, I would criticize a doc like this one for lacking any sort of primary focus or goal to accomplish, but I think "Generation Wealth" is the rare piece that works in spite of (if not in some ways because of) its non-proselytizing ways. It is indeed "all over the place", but all the different avenues it turns down lead to productive highways instead of dead-ends. Add in the emotional Greenfield angle and it covers all the bases.

Because of the ratings, I had very low expectations coming into "Generation Wealth", but found myself riveted from the opening salvo to the closing credits. If you are a fan of social documentaries or the topic of wealth in general, you'll find something to enjoy here.

Greetings again from the darkness. John Lennon wrote "Money don't get everything, it's true. What it don't get, I can't use. Now give me money. That's what I want." Gordon Gekko said "Greed, for lack of a better word, is good." Photographer-Director Lauren Greenfield (THE QUEEN OF VERSAILLES, 2012) has spent the past 25 years chronicling the excesses of society. She now lets us in on what she has seen under her microscope (camera lens). It's no surprise that we see a society that values money and beauty, no matter the cost. She also makes this very personal by confessing her own decisions and experiences along the way.

Serving as her own videographer, Ms. Greenfield's film began as a photographic gallery exhibition, was published as a photography book, and has now morphed into a feature length documentary - one that blends much of her previous work. Her lens focuses on such varied subjects as celebrity kids, porn stars, eating disorders, the fashion world, beauty pageants for kids, high commerce, plastic surgery, family sacrifices, the end of the gold standard, and historical societies. It will likely cause you to blush, as well as shake your head in a disgusted all-knowing manner.

An unusual lineup of interviewees includes author Bret Easton Ellis, whose "Less Than Zero" is acknowledged as an inspiration by Ms. Greenfield; porn star Kacey Jordan, whose affiliation with bad boy Charlie Sheen made tabloid headlines; former billionaire Hedge Fund Manager Florian Homm; a workaholic woman with no time for a family or life; a participant from "Toddlers and Tiaras"; and journalist Chris Hedges who offers up a history lesson.

Every segment of the film is about excess. The beauty pageant kid crows "money, money, money". Mr. Homm croons "come to me" as if speaking directly to money. The son of a rock star (Kevin Cronin of REO Speedwagon) speaks to growing up wealthy, and a high school classmate of Kate Hudson recalls her spouting off about her famous parents. Ms. Jordan admits to hoping one of her sex tapes (she has "lots") will put her on top like it did for her hero Kim Kardashian. Mr. Hedges explains via the Great Pyramids, that societies accrue their greatest wealth at the moment their decline begins (which of course is an obvious mathematical certainty). His point is that all "great" societies of the past have crumbled, but he expects when it happens to us, it will bring down much of the world.

As director Greenfield interjects her own family (including her two sons) into the film, we get the feeling she is either making amends or perhaps using the process as her own therapy for the sacrifices she made for her career ... a career that puts a magnifying glass to society. She discusses the emphasis on wealth during the Ronald Reagan Presidency, and even throws in a glimpse of similar excesses in China, Moscow, Ireland and Dubai.

The old values of hard work and saving money have morphed into what has now become the new American Dream of consumption and luxury. It's a Kardashian society - or at least a society that dreams of living the life of a Kardashian. By the end of the film, the entertaining tales of Mr. Homm's lust for the almighty greenback has given way to a devastatingly sad (in a pitiful way) story unworthy of his cigar twirling. A Beverly Hills woman so desperate to purchase the hot new luxury handbag explains the "what's next" syndrome. The fixation, even addiction, to money, status, and physical beauty seems to be one that can't be cured ... though the film ignores those who don't share in the "dream". We are reminded to be careful what you wish for, and that "Money can't buy me love" ... or even much happiness. Ms. Greenfield's tale attempts to end with a lesson in values - hug those close to you, but the overall message is entirely too downbeat for such a final pick-me-up.

Started out with topic at hand. Generational wealth splattered with self promotion of her other movies/ writings. A tablespoon of her family biography and an inner look at some family pathology. Too self serving for my taste. For the love of God stay on topic.

Literally all over the place. Large disappointment.

Thoughtful and often funny view of our obsession with money and stuff. But the filmmaker's kindness also shines through. She doesn't judge her subjects and places herself in the spotlight too.

Good illustration of the pathological mentality culture and where we're headed.

Director Lauren Greenfield commits a cardinal sin in documentary film-making. Instead of making this film about its subject matter, she makes the film about her. Rather than getting a deep, interesting exposé about our obsession with wealth and how it corrupts people, we get a facile, uninteresting examination of Greenfield, her parents and her (very reluctant-looking) children.

It's a real wasted opportunity, and largely a waste of time if you're interested in what the film is advertised as being about.

😲😲😲😲😲 So much of the film was literally jaw dropping. Hard to believe this is our world! So eye opening! 25 years of footage really captures the digression of our society as it relates to wealth and consumption Definitely worth watching. Fascinating! Loved it!

"Generation Wealth" (2018 release; 105 min.) is a documentary about people's obsession with wealth. As the movie opens, we get to know the director, Lauren Greenfield, and how in the early 90s when she started as a photo journalist she chose to focus on a group of high school kids in Santa Monica (we see Kate Hudson aged 12, among others). Greenfield revisits with those kids, now 25 years later. In a separate path we are introduced to Florian Homm, a former hedge-fund manager who fled the US when he was indicted and is all but too happy to tell us his story. "I love money, come to me!", he exults. At this point we are 10 min. into the film, but to tell you more of the story would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments; this is the latest documentary from writer-director Lauren Greenfield, who previously gave us the excellent "The Queen of Versailles" documentary (in essence about the same themes as this movie). And while the intended topic of the film is appealing (is our society becoming more obsessed with wealth than, say, 25 years ago?), the movie turns out to be a convoluted mess, albeit a beautiful mess. For one, the movie becomes far too personal, as we get much footage about Greenfield's family, in particular her parents, and also her 10 and 15 yr. old sons, who both express their annoyance, time and again, with their mom's seemingly endless filming of their personal lives. No idea what that has to do with wealth obsession as such. But along the way we do get to see many outrageous moments expressing "a lot is good, more is better'. As Greenfield summarizes it: "I'm looking at the extreme to understand the mainstream". In the end, the documentary is a disappointing, yet at time intriguing, bag. Somewhat of a missed chance, really.

"Generation Wealth" premiered at this year's Sundance Film Festival, and it finally opened at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati this weekend. The Friday evening screening where I saw this at was attended dismally (5 people, including myself), not a good sign for a movie's opening day. If you liked "The Queen of Versailles", I suggest you check this out, be it in the theater, on VOD, or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray, and draw your own conclusion.

This movie was a reminder of the importance of striving for balance... so many of the characters featured clealry lost sight of the damage done to themselves and their relationships in their obsessive pursuit of money for the sake of it. Lauren Greenfield's decades of chronicling gets showcased in this expose - and as someone raised in LA during these decades, it speaks the truth. Bravo Lauren. This should be required viewing for all students of modern culture in the developed and developing world...

There are certain things that have been accelerated. Since the invention of ... well people getting famous. The 15 minutes of fame we all seek. Although no one sets a time limit to their goal. And of course since the world is big and we have a lot of people, we are generalizing here.

That being said, the documentary is well thought of. Even the filmmaker herself acknowledges that she now is more aware and better in connecting dots, she previously was unable to see. What does it mean though? I think most conclussions are quite easily deducted. You don't have to be a master in psychology to see and understand what people are talking about.

Of course that also makes the documentary more accesible I reckon. This is not a deep study - but taking into account what the subject matter is, a quite fitting one - no pun intended.

We live in uncertain times, people are obessessed with their image, their bodies, their 'fame' and their popularity, but there's one thing we are all crazy about...Money. This is a documentary which goes behind the scenes of the lives of the rich and famous, showing how these people have given up their souls, humanity and empathy in order to get rich. A great documentary which is highly informative, detailed and entertaining. It's not for everyone, but everyone should watch it.

This would've and could've been an interesting documentary...if the filmmaker had actually stuck to the subject! Unfortunately, 50% of the time she can't seem to resist turning the camera on herself and her uninteresting family to talk about subjects (ie HERSELF!) that have absolutely nothing to do with wealth. "Mom! Turn the camera on and let's talk about ME!" Massive violent eye roll. I eventually just kept my finger on the FF button and would simply skip over the parts where the filmmaker inexplicably and unnecessarily started talking about herself. So self-indulgent. As a rule I do not like documentaries where the filmmaker (or their family) is also the subject--and Generation Wealth is the perfect example of why.

Photographer/Director Laurie Greenfield's Generation Wealth was extremely well-received at Austin's SXSW Film Festival (coming off of its appearances at Sundance and the Berlin Film Festival). It is a remarkable cinematic journey as she revisits those she has photographed for previous projects which have often focused on excessive wealth. Greenfield eloquently captures the decaying of the American Dream as a form of corrupt capitalism has eaten away at American idealism and replaced it with a form extreme narcistic materialism. In many ways this film explains - while barely mentioning him - how this country could elect corrupt narcissist as its President. It describes a country where beauty, sex, fame, and status have all become commodities on sale to the highest bidder Greenfield takes it a step further by intriguingly adding herself and her own family as part of the story and suggesting that her careerism is also part of the problem. The photography is beautiful and provides a powerful narrative of the collapse of the American Dream. Highly recommended to all who care about the future of America. Greenfield should be commended for a work that is both personal and political.

A fascinating look into the American obsession with wealth and status.

The selection of interviewees is laudably broad, covering a wide variety of types of person and sources of wealth. On one hand it adds to the film, on the other it feels like this might have worked better as a miniseries, giving more time and space for each interview.

Despite the interesting subject matter, the film feels like it's only scratching the surface, and at times comes across a little disjointed.

There is nothing to learn here if you are already paying attention to the wasteland of our culture who is obsessed with themselves and consumption. The dramtic music, close-ups, and sweeping panoramic shots make you think that the movie is going to come to some deep revelation about humanity, but there is nothing new here for anyone who has moral grounding. Instead it is a very long humble brag for the photographer's hobby, as well as for her family's acceptance into Harvard. It is also a self therapy session about the photographers guilt about leaving her kids to go on international photo journeys when they were small. My heart does not weep for her. She got to go on adventures, had money to fund herself, and a supporting husband, and she wants sympathy? I say good for her. But my sympathy? No. My sympathies go to mom's who have real struggles and tough choices. Maybe some of her photos are interesting. But many of us could take interesting photos if we were given the technological resources, basic camera training, and time to take 100's of thousands of photos all over the world, and the time to sift through them to find 100 interesting ones. Her work is a result of the privledge she was given. She hints at this towards the end, but only thinly and smugly while she judges others throughout the movie in dramatic fashion (but with no new lesson or point, other than what is already plainly obvious to anyone with ethics or morals).