Minimalismus: Weniger ist jetzt

This felt like a cheesy Hillsong sermon. Originally these guys came across as authentic, now they look and sound like influencers. The monologues we're bizarrely overproduced and I found myself tuning out repeatedly.

3 stars only for the people that had to listen to this BS being filmed because they had to put up with it. There are two narrators and the show ended up being more about them and less about the concept itself. Netflix is usually great with docs, but this one...smh! Whatever happened to just sit down and say what you have to say? The dialogues in this show felt very manufactured and artificial, with perfect pauses between words, great cinematic lighting and camera work. Sounded more like a fake TED talk minus substance. Missed opportunity. There are a few good quotes and if you take out everything else, this would be a 5-10 min documentary. Watch it when you're doing the dishes/cleaning.

I had been a fan of The Minimalists for years since they launched their first website. I used to be excited for their blog posts and updates but a lot has changed since then. This movie is nothing more than an extended version of their TEDx talk. It is made of scripted phrases that they've kept repeating for years. I know they've got corporate background but life is not a corporation! It all sounds fake. One guy trying to sell us his recipe for success using his mom's death. The other one is simply not convincing with how fake the words sound in his mouth. Pure cringe at times. I'm not saying this as a hater but as a disappointed fan of something that used to be original and helpful. They just turned it into a product and production while mass consumption is what they've said to be fighting with.

Although I'm 100 percent in alignment with the basic message, I think as a documentary film it's very confused and frustrating. The basic issue I see is that it is presented in a "Ted Talk" monologue heavy style which comes across more as "presenting" versus simply talking to camera. It felt like a sales presentation not a heartfelt sharing of experiences even when dealing with issues like the death of a parent and the impact it had. I guess in some ways they ARE selling (their books, events etc) but, to me, the awkward format is hindering that goal not supporting it. As a video producer I know first hand when a video camera is brought into the situation how people are so nervous to do the most simple thing in the world which is just to have conversation - reciting memorized speeches to camera or reading off a teleprompter doesn't come across as genuine for the vast majority of people and this film is a great example of how NOT to produce a documentary.

This does not add any further value to their 2015 documentary. So by their own principle, this follow-up should not even have been made.

Instead of delving into their personal journeys towards accumulation and subsequently minimalism, they could have done better by discussing the psychology behind accumulation. This was briefly mentioned as companies exploiting people's psychology to get them to buy things.

If they want people to do the reverse and turn towards minimalism, the obvious angle would have been to take a closer look at the vulnerability that causes people to compensate with accumulation. Basically they should have invited a psychologist to discuss Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.

Once our basic physiological and safety needs are fulfilled, i.e, food, water and shelter, people need a sense of love and belonging which then enables them to achieve self-esteem and ultimately self-actualisation. These are the needs that marketers exploit. So the question is not "How might life be better with less?", but "What is truly missing in my life that I have been trying to fill with stuff?".