16 reviews
If you don't know Andrew Breitbart and why he's so controversial you'll find out why in the first few minutes of Andrew Marcus's Hating Breitbart, a breakneck documentary that profiles the left-wing whistleblower and documents just a few of the number of cases he took on in his career. The film begins by addressing the controversy that surrounded the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) when two conservative activists secretly filmed themselves posing as a prostitute and a pimp and discovering the organization offers advice on how to evade paying taxes and keep their prostitution career discreet. From there on out, we see just how big of an impact Breitbart had on exposing organizational lies and media bias through the use of his own tactics using the "new media," such as cell phones, computers, and video cameras.
Some will call Breitbart blatantly hypocritical for addressing and slandering the apparent media bias in the news and then opening up several websites with larger-than-life names boasting an unmissable conservative bias. I must admit the truth and say this is precisely what I thought going in. But the more time you see Breitbart on screen and the more time you listen to his lectures, it becomes clear that himself, personally, having a bias isn't contradictory to his philosophy at all. He despises the idea that the "left wing" media proclaims to be balanced and objective when they hold a bias that fits their agenda. Breitbart's several websites holding a conservative bias is the main point of the argument; he has a bias and he admits to it.
Hating Breitbart takes a rather questionable look at the title-figure because instead of giving a biographical take on the man, they judge him solely on his methods of activism, his fans and detractors, and his fiery debates held with those he doesn't agree with photographed and observed by a countless slew of people. I would've preferred a focus conducted in a more linear, "rise to fame" style, but unlike most documentaries this one seems to be brewing its own suspense, especially for someone like me who didn't foresee the outcome to many of these cases (I was ignorant to most news until around 2011).
Consider the segment Marcus devotes to Breitbart trying to prove the mainstream media wrong when they claimed that racial epithets were shouted at Congressman John Lewis by Tea Party protesters when he walked through the nation's Capital. Breitbart, who analyzed several videos taken from protesters from several different angles, offered $100,000 to the United Negro College Fund if they could provide that this was true. It never came to fruition and this, if anything, woke people up to the thought that Breitbart was more than a self-proclaimed "biased ***hole,* but a man driven to dig up the real, indispensable truth.
I suppose another reason why he obtained such a large cult following was just the commonality he shared with so many of his followers. He didn't seem like a well-to-do man who put himself on the frontline to make a buck first and expose an institution second. He states in a casually-conducted interview that he has "two car payments and a mortgage he can't pay." It didn't seem to people that he was in it for the fame and wealth but the fact that he believed that a transparent government was what the people needed and deserved. I couldn't agree more.
Hating Breitbart is a good documentary that, while neglecting the critical side of Breitbart like we kind of expected, illustrates terrifically why he was so controversial, loved, adored, hated, and talked about. The film plays like one of the most exciting journalistic crime dramas ever to hit the screen. It shows the fiery and unmistakably brutal routes the first amendment granted the American people with, and the extreme controversy that surrounded whistleblowing journalism. Regardless whether it's a conservative, religious school or a creative-minded, liberal arts institution, I'd call this documentary a must in English courses just for the value in its depictions of bravery and deviance.
I always thought that if the conservatives wanted to put themselves ahead in the game in terms of getting their ideology out in a catchy way, rather than hiring the interchangeable talking head on Fox News, they could find someone like Bill Maher, who can recite talking points with not just a spin but a witty sense of humor. It turns out that, up until 2012, the conservatives had their guy, only he went a lot further. Rather than joking and making sly remarks on his TV show, he went out to try and prove that what he was saying was correct and what we were being fed was categorically wrong. In a way, both men are just trying to show the same country a set of "new rules."
Starring: Andrew Breitbart. Directed by: Andrew Marcus.
Some will call Breitbart blatantly hypocritical for addressing and slandering the apparent media bias in the news and then opening up several websites with larger-than-life names boasting an unmissable conservative bias. I must admit the truth and say this is precisely what I thought going in. But the more time you see Breitbart on screen and the more time you listen to his lectures, it becomes clear that himself, personally, having a bias isn't contradictory to his philosophy at all. He despises the idea that the "left wing" media proclaims to be balanced and objective when they hold a bias that fits their agenda. Breitbart's several websites holding a conservative bias is the main point of the argument; he has a bias and he admits to it.
Hating Breitbart takes a rather questionable look at the title-figure because instead of giving a biographical take on the man, they judge him solely on his methods of activism, his fans and detractors, and his fiery debates held with those he doesn't agree with photographed and observed by a countless slew of people. I would've preferred a focus conducted in a more linear, "rise to fame" style, but unlike most documentaries this one seems to be brewing its own suspense, especially for someone like me who didn't foresee the outcome to many of these cases (I was ignorant to most news until around 2011).
Consider the segment Marcus devotes to Breitbart trying to prove the mainstream media wrong when they claimed that racial epithets were shouted at Congressman John Lewis by Tea Party protesters when he walked through the nation's Capital. Breitbart, who analyzed several videos taken from protesters from several different angles, offered $100,000 to the United Negro College Fund if they could provide that this was true. It never came to fruition and this, if anything, woke people up to the thought that Breitbart was more than a self-proclaimed "biased ***hole,* but a man driven to dig up the real, indispensable truth.
I suppose another reason why he obtained such a large cult following was just the commonality he shared with so many of his followers. He didn't seem like a well-to-do man who put himself on the frontline to make a buck first and expose an institution second. He states in a casually-conducted interview that he has "two car payments and a mortgage he can't pay." It didn't seem to people that he was in it for the fame and wealth but the fact that he believed that a transparent government was what the people needed and deserved. I couldn't agree more.
Hating Breitbart is a good documentary that, while neglecting the critical side of Breitbart like we kind of expected, illustrates terrifically why he was so controversial, loved, adored, hated, and talked about. The film plays like one of the most exciting journalistic crime dramas ever to hit the screen. It shows the fiery and unmistakably brutal routes the first amendment granted the American people with, and the extreme controversy that surrounded whistleblowing journalism. Regardless whether it's a conservative, religious school or a creative-minded, liberal arts institution, I'd call this documentary a must in English courses just for the value in its depictions of bravery and deviance.
I always thought that if the conservatives wanted to put themselves ahead in the game in terms of getting their ideology out in a catchy way, rather than hiring the interchangeable talking head on Fox News, they could find someone like Bill Maher, who can recite talking points with not just a spin but a witty sense of humor. It turns out that, up until 2012, the conservatives had their guy, only he went a lot further. Rather than joking and making sly remarks on his TV show, he went out to try and prove that what he was saying was correct and what we were being fed was categorically wrong. In a way, both men are just trying to show the same country a set of "new rules."
Starring: Andrew Breitbart. Directed by: Andrew Marcus.
- StevePulaski
- May 18, 2013
- Permalink
Extremely informative. I was fortunate enough to be at the premiere in DC. It was a great event and I got to speak to many people in the film afterwards at the reception. This made it all the more memorable since I was able to ask about their associations with Breitbart.
This film touches on some powerful issues with new media and how Breitbart managed to destroy ACORN, union leaders and Congressman Weiner. He also manages to show the liberal media bias, and it shows how they misrepresent his every word. Keith Oberman's loathing for him surprised me.
There were moments in the film where Breitbart seemed extreme and this compromised his image, but by sticking to straightforward truths and his accomplishments his credibility was preserved. The film shows us that he will leave a legacy, that many will aspire to fill in new media. It's a shame we lost him when we did because someone always needs to stir the pot, and he was quite good at it.
This film touches on some powerful issues with new media and how Breitbart managed to destroy ACORN, union leaders and Congressman Weiner. He also manages to show the liberal media bias, and it shows how they misrepresent his every word. Keith Oberman's loathing for him surprised me.
There were moments in the film where Breitbart seemed extreme and this compromised his image, but by sticking to straightforward truths and his accomplishments his credibility was preserved. The film shows us that he will leave a legacy, that many will aspire to fill in new media. It's a shame we lost him when we did because someone always needs to stir the pot, and he was quite good at it.
- reberscott
- Oct 23, 2012
- Permalink
What a great film.
It is a must see documentary. This doc kept your attention like no other from the first frame to the last second.
Andrew Breitbart was a polarizing figure like few we have ever seen.
Love him or HATE him...he fought vigorously for what he believed in. To rate this film anything less than an 8 would be on a moral par with Al Gore selling currentTV to the Qatar oil tycoons.
I recommend you watch this film and see for yourself...then write a review as I have!
A great watch for any doc fan. Well worth the time.
I hope to see all of the director's next films.
The only let down is that we will not be able to see any of Andrew's other films he undoubtedly would of made.
It is a must see documentary. This doc kept your attention like no other from the first frame to the last second.
Andrew Breitbart was a polarizing figure like few we have ever seen.
Love him or HATE him...he fought vigorously for what he believed in. To rate this film anything less than an 8 would be on a moral par with Al Gore selling currentTV to the Qatar oil tycoons.
I recommend you watch this film and see for yourself...then write a review as I have!
A great watch for any doc fan. Well worth the time.
I hope to see all of the director's next films.
The only let down is that we will not be able to see any of Andrew's other films he undoubtedly would of made.
- jakeberrys11
- May 22, 2013
- Permalink
This documentary will probably not convert anyone who disagreed with Andrew Breitbart before. It is certainly a film that is in favor of what he was doing before he died in 2012. I know that this documentary didn't get any attention in the mainstream press because it clearly is an indict6ment on their absolute disdain for anything that doesn't move their agenda forward. I used to think that the media had a left wing bias, but was generally fair. In the past 20 years I have certainly lost that sentiment. Andrew Breitbart's work was more about getting in the face of the media and challenging them about their bias. Of course they hated him for that, denigrating him as not being a journalist. Why? Because he was championing truth. He certainly knew what he was doing, yes he was brazen, a trouble maker, so what? Again if he were on the left he would be hailed as a HERO!!!! He would be celebrated as a courageous truth seeker, a watchdog for the people. He would be bigger than Michael Moore. Michael Moore has made millions of dollars making opinion pieces calling them documentaries and the media by and large LOVE HIM!!! When Fahrenheit 9/11 came out they championed him to no end, the film is the highest grossing documentary ever. Let's face it, Moore is a talented film maker and knows his audience. Does it matter that most of what he espouses in his films has been dis-proved? Not to the media at large, he gets a pass because his politics are in line with theirs.
The truth is that the media at large has done a disservice to this country for choosing to be very partisan. They have chosen a side for the most part and want the general public to buy the narrative that they are selling. He fully admitted he was a conservative and that he wanted to expose the left's war on the Tea Party. The media at large created the narrative that they were by and large a bunch on racists. The film deals with the incident in Washington DC where there was a protest against Obamacare and some African American congress members were walking and supposedly heard the N word screamed at them 15 times. The allegations were picked up bey the mainstream media and they ran with the story. Breitbart offered a reward for proof that the N word was shouted one time. His argument was that with all of the media that was there, people with their cell phone cameras, why wasn't there any video of the so called people that screamed the racial slur? I would think that if that existed it would have come out. You think MSNBC would have resisted in airing that video? I think not. At one point there was a video that was being run of on major news sources of someone carrying rifle at a Tea Party rally, again the media wanting to portray these rallies as being full of gun touting racists. The problem was that they had not shown the man's face. Turns out it was an African American carrying that rifle at the rally. But of course didn't fit the narrative, so they tweaked the image to fit what they wanted us to see. That should make anyone furious, to be lied to like that. No matter what side of the political spectrum you are. The so called journalists in the mainstream media hated Andrew Breitbart because he was actually doing the job that they were supposed to do, to inform.
You may not agree with Breitbarts tactics, but he exposed the media as more than just having a bias. They are actively championing people and causes that fit with their ideology. You may not agree with all of Breitbart's politics and tactics, but it is clear that he shined a light on how the media is aiding in further dividing this country.
Good for him.
The truth is that the media at large has done a disservice to this country for choosing to be very partisan. They have chosen a side for the most part and want the general public to buy the narrative that they are selling. He fully admitted he was a conservative and that he wanted to expose the left's war on the Tea Party. The media at large created the narrative that they were by and large a bunch on racists. The film deals with the incident in Washington DC where there was a protest against Obamacare and some African American congress members were walking and supposedly heard the N word screamed at them 15 times. The allegations were picked up bey the mainstream media and they ran with the story. Breitbart offered a reward for proof that the N word was shouted one time. His argument was that with all of the media that was there, people with their cell phone cameras, why wasn't there any video of the so called people that screamed the racial slur? I would think that if that existed it would have come out. You think MSNBC would have resisted in airing that video? I think not. At one point there was a video that was being run of on major news sources of someone carrying rifle at a Tea Party rally, again the media wanting to portray these rallies as being full of gun touting racists. The problem was that they had not shown the man's face. Turns out it was an African American carrying that rifle at the rally. But of course didn't fit the narrative, so they tweaked the image to fit what they wanted us to see. That should make anyone furious, to be lied to like that. No matter what side of the political spectrum you are. The so called journalists in the mainstream media hated Andrew Breitbart because he was actually doing the job that they were supposed to do, to inform.
You may not agree with Breitbarts tactics, but he exposed the media as more than just having a bias. They are actively championing people and causes that fit with their ideology. You may not agree with all of Breitbart's politics and tactics, but it is clear that he shined a light on how the media is aiding in further dividing this country.
Good for him.
- flicklover
- Mar 11, 2014
- Permalink
This was, by far, one of the best documentaries I've ever seen. It was truly eye-opening to a world that is often so closed off to the majority of Americans. Talk about fascinating. No matter what "side" you stand with, you must watch this movie. I am a big documentary lover, and have seen many, but none have kept me glued to the screen as much as this one did. I highly recommend this to anyone who likes to leave a movie still thinking about it hours, days, and weeks after it's ended. I finished watching it and went straight to my computer to look up more about Andrew, his story, and about the subject matter at hand (journalism in America). Although he is sadly no longer with us, Andrew's words have not fallen on deaf ears. His legacy will clearly continue to inspire and enlighten many. Absolutely amazing story!
- loviexox48
- May 22, 2013
- Permalink
- nazztrader
- Oct 20, 2013
- Permalink
- SilverTone62
- May 18, 2013
- Permalink
It hardly needs to be said that this "documentary" is just the right-wing infotainment industry giving itself another propaganda hand job.
It does its best to ignore the fact that Breitbart was guilty of the very thing he claimed to be trying to root out: extreme media bias; says nothing about his penchant for ridiculous conspiracy theories or the many times he and his stooge James O'Keefe were caught lying or falsifying evidence against the left, much less how the very last moments of his life were were spent trying to fabricate evidence that the Occupy Wall Street protesters were all rapists.
Instead, the thesis is all about how Andrew Breitbart did not deserve to be hated. Which is about as accurate as their decision to call the Sarah Palin documentary "Undefeated." Don't indulge your curiosity by watching this movie. Look at what he actually said, did, and stood for on Wikipedia instead, and you'll be incredibly glad Andrew Breitbart is dead too.
It does its best to ignore the fact that Breitbart was guilty of the very thing he claimed to be trying to root out: extreme media bias; says nothing about his penchant for ridiculous conspiracy theories or the many times he and his stooge James O'Keefe were caught lying or falsifying evidence against the left, much less how the very last moments of his life were were spent trying to fabricate evidence that the Occupy Wall Street protesters were all rapists.
Instead, the thesis is all about how Andrew Breitbart did not deserve to be hated. Which is about as accurate as their decision to call the Sarah Palin documentary "Undefeated." Don't indulge your curiosity by watching this movie. Look at what he actually said, did, and stood for on Wikipedia instead, and you'll be incredibly glad Andrew Breitbart is dead too.
Superbly done on a superb human being. It captured the heroism and spirit and joy of Breitbart who died too young. The filming is well done, as are the transitions.
Inspiring to Americans to be aware, carry on and fight the good fight.
Andrew was so brave and so passionate and loved this country well. He never hesitated to tell the truth and often this cost him dearly.
The joy and passion he inspired in others is captured in the film as you will see when you have the opportunity to see this.
His wife and children must be very proud of him, even as they mourn his loss and carry on his work.
Inspiring to Americans to be aware, carry on and fight the good fight.
Andrew was so brave and so passionate and loved this country well. He never hesitated to tell the truth and often this cost him dearly.
The joy and passion he inspired in others is captured in the film as you will see when you have the opportunity to see this.
His wife and children must be very proud of him, even as they mourn his loss and carry on his work.
Very insightful and entertaining documentary by Andrew Marcus. Gives a first hand look at Andrew Breitbart and his fight against the media for one thing: the truth. It would be pretty hard to discount the man and his work after watching this, but it's entertaining no matter who you agree with. Definitely worth the time. Marcus wisely chooses not use the typical narrative that most documentaries use and he instead chooses to show Andrew when he was at his most energetic and jocular. He examines three major fights Andrew had with the media and pretty much tells them with more objectivity than any major network has. But, above all, this is just an incredibly entertaining and energetic film. Great filmmaking. Everyone should see this movie.
- zachary-leeman
- May 22, 2013
- Permalink
- jenncaston
- May 18, 2013
- Permalink
- neutralorthodox
- May 21, 2014
- Permalink
He had a lot of courage to take on these hypocrites.
Excellent movie and I for one will carry on his message and try to muster have the courage he showed! He fights the bullying tactics He slams the hypocrites He had no fear! Those lying pieces of crap black legislators that made the claims that tea-party members shouted racial slurs were called out and could not provide one piece of evidence. How dare they?? The Acorn members came out looking pretty innocent too! Right! Jesse Jackson Jr and the rest of the Chicago liars should be in jail. I hope Andrew's legacy lives on for years to come. It's high-time in this country that the left wing media is called out on their bullying
Excellent movie and I for one will carry on his message and try to muster have the courage he showed! He fights the bullying tactics He slams the hypocrites He had no fear! Those lying pieces of crap black legislators that made the claims that tea-party members shouted racial slurs were called out and could not provide one piece of evidence. How dare they?? The Acorn members came out looking pretty innocent too! Right! Jesse Jackson Jr and the rest of the Chicago liars should be in jail. I hope Andrew's legacy lives on for years to come. It's high-time in this country that the left wing media is called out on their bullying
- dannygreenee
- May 21, 2013
- Permalink