Terrible acting, screenplay and direction.

A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

I found it to be both enlightening and entertaining and enjoyed particularly the use of interview subjects who are positioned to know what they are talking about.The film is filled with excellent music, well-used, though it seems unfair almost to single out the music as all the technical aspects of the film making were top-class.I think this is a must-see for any person who cares to understand and affect the world we are confronted with.This will be compulsory viewing for some time for any friend or family member of mine who comes to visit me.

In this smoothly flowing semi-documentary, John Kirby and Lewis Lapham guide us through a believable but dramatized set of circumstances in the would-be lives of two well educated young men ready to embark on their promising careers in business, politics and whatever else.Dreamlike, we are driven across landscapes and cityscapes, from the rectangular office spaces of Wall Street to the comfortably luxurious houses of the well-off. During the process, we are haunted, as the life-like main characters are, by the seductive promise of life on the leading edge of American power and money.The choice of fictionalizing a documentary is, by itself, nothing new, but the WAY this has been done here is quite unique. It seems that all the fictive elements only serve the purpose of truth and accuracy, instead of obfuscating the realities involved. Even the graphical and musical interludes serve as surprisingly sympathetic material for further reflection. Unfortunately this strategy subjects the film to criticism from those who find such content offensive or unnecessary. This film is too "artsy" for some; others may find it "preachy", for much the same reasons. For me, the true achievement of the film is precisely its ability to toe that fine line between realism and idealism without ever falling overboard.Thanks largely to Lewis Lapham and a wonderful "cast" of what in a lesser documentary would be called talking heads (including such giants as Kurt Vonnegut, Robert Altman, Howard Zinn and Walter Cronkite), the film delivers a cinematic equivalent of a journalistic exposition, both laid back and straight to the point. Indeed, this is Lapham's film as much as Kirby's, and for those who find his presence overbearing, this film might prove to be too much. But its subjectivity is perfectly honest and sincere, and should be applauded as such.While this is clearly not a "pure" documentary in the traditional sense, I wouldn't call it either fiction or mockumentary - it's really one of a kind. For anybody with an interest in the way academicians, aspiring college graduates, business people and powerful politicians see the world and how they reflect on their own role in the functioning of the system, this film is a must see. Whether or not it is useful to talk of a "Ruling Class", the jarringly disparate perspectives of the very rich and powerful in contrast to the way more modestly earning wage workers see the world raises many questions - and, probably, the hair on your neck! It is not without its problems; the last half could probably have used re-editing. Still, it is a unique look - and certainly just one possible look - at the way power, money and ideology operate in today's society.It is deadly accurate, mainly because it lets people speak for themselves. For this same reason, and underneath its cool and tact, it is surprisingly subversive and charming. Despite Lapham's grayer-than-gray attire, the film is anything but.

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.

An awesome doc , movie, musical. this director John Kirby is amazing! I think it was a good look at how to use the system to change it from with in the system. Using rich well to do and exposing them to rich thought and questioning instead of blinder ridden ambition.Bless This guy he will go far.Loads of Famous folks and great musical numbers! GO JOHN KIRBYI think it is an amazing look at the future of America. The essence of thought will open ambition lust and brass ring front runners into thinking men.RENT IT BUY IT SEE IT.LEWIS LAPHAM is so amazing.