That was an excellent one.

Please don't spend money on this.

Great Film overall

Admirable film.

I was prepared not to like this movie, to think that it did a superficial job. As I watched, I remained unconvinced - the lead-up to the Chicago riots, the demonstrations and riots themselves, the Chicago 8-or-7 Trial, these were nothing new, no great storytelling.But when Abbie went underground, and Anita raised their son without him, and Abbie's life took the crazy course it took, that's when this film came alive, and when the characters turned into people. Was the film 100% accurate? I don't know. But I do know that there was life to be had, not just cardboard cutouts of the myths. I was engaged, and I was moved, and I was impressed.

As far as I know, "Steal This Movie" was the first movie that focused on the FBI's persecution of political activists in the '60s. Specifically, it looks at Yippie founder Abbie Hoffman (Vincent D'Onofrio) and his cohorts. As it was, we were very good friends with Stew Albert (who died last year).The movie does a very good job looking at everything, complete with a soundtrack including Jimi Hendrix, Donovan, Phil Ochs, and John Lennon. There are obviously many sources of information about the '60s and everything associated therewith. For more info about the FBI's dirty tricks, there's "A People's History of the United States" and "Lies My Teacher Told Me".Nixon must spin in his grave every time that someone watches this.

'Steal This Movie' is a well-thought, well-written well-acted, well-made dramatization of the life of left-wing activist Abbie Hoffman, probably the most famous of the Chicago Seven. (The title is a play on the title of Hoffman's autobiography, 'Steal This Book', though it certainly doesn't have the poignancy of that title.) 'Steal This Movie' made some bold casting choices. The lead role was given to Vincent D'Onofrio: not an obvious choice, because Vincent looks very little like Abbie, which caused many die-hard history aficionados to bash the decision. However, Vincent fills the role wonderful, brilliantly, expressing all the conflicting sides of Hoffman's personality, his sense of humor, his dead seriousness, strict political consciousness, bi-polar disorder, having to live in hiding and away from his wife and son. He makes the character come alive much more than someone else could have by simply looking and talking like him. Abbie's wife Anita is played wonderfully by SNL's Janeane Garofalo, accomplished comedian but not so as a dramatic actress.Though it doesn't have that much cinematic value by its own right, 'Steal This Movie' does a fantastic job of getting through both the spirit of the time and the greatness and difficulties of Hoffman's activities and his character - a great and fascinating person whose impact has long been overlooked. It's also a wonderful document of an important period that is practically ignored (relatively, of course). For those interested in the late 60s, in the hippie movements, Black Panthers and other left wing political movements of the time, and of course in Hoffman himself - it's invaluable, on top of being both touching and entertaining. A good watch.

This film is about the activist years of Yippie Abbie Hoffman and the time after. People expecting to see a biopic about his activism, antics, or books will be dissapointed. The film is about Abbie Hoffman. Not about his efforts, but about him.The editing is not that great, and the dialogue could have been better, but the scenes are entertaining even without good pacing. D'Onofrio also did his best to portray Hoffman, even though he's 9 inches taller and doesn't look like him. He seems to capture that charisma, that "mojo" that other people seem to like. He' also very good in the second half, when you can tell Abbie is pondering his life - if he's doomed to run forever, is he running from nothing, did he waste his life. He seemed very tortured.A lot of people may be dissapointed, but this is still a good film. Such a shame it didn't get wide release.