This Place Rules

If you've enjoyed Channel 5 or All Gas No Breaks then you will most likely enjoy This Place Rules. For those that haven't watched either, Andrew Callaghan's journalism style centers around fringe views, either being portrayed in a humorous or sometimes more sinister and discomforting way.

One nice thing about this documentary is that Andrew revisits a lot of the people he interviews which adds layers of meaning based on what's already been covered by the documentary. Andrew's interviewing style is also very refreshing from other interviewers since he's mostly silent, nodding his head, and being nonjudgmental, which allows the interviewees to speak for themselves.

As evident from the beginning, not everything is directly related to the capital riots, and some interviews are more loosly related and meant to be surreal or humorous tidbits from Andrew's experience, which some people might be turned off by.

Additionally, while Andrew for the most part remains neutral, there are instances where he asks leading questions or injects his opinion between interviews, which is helpful for tying the theme of the documentary, but personally I felt it was a bit redundant since a lot of the interviews really spoke for themselves. For the most part though, I really enjoyed the documentary and felt it was very powerful, especially towards the end.

With just the right amount of relief whether through comedy or lighthearted fun This Place Rules reveals in retrospect the perfect recipe for disaster which lead up to the 2020 election and the infamous January 6th attack on the United States capitol.

This Place Rules reveals the countless rabbit holes so many with the time or motivation on their hands slipped down into which lead to the desperation and extremism necessary for all the chaos we witnessed during that extremely delicate and volatile time in US history.

TPR is an easy 10/10 for me due to its lack of bias, honest journalism, perfect pacing, and a message everyone can and should get behind - especially as technology and vehicles for misinformation continue to advance.

This Place Rules is great first documentary from Callaghan. To say this is just the beginning of a incredible documentarian would be an understatement. To preface this I know Callaghan's work for a while, being at the birth of All Gas No Brakes. His way of showcasing a unbiased view of extremism and radicalism is addictive. Combined with the comedic aspect you get a golden combination of fascination, intrigue, repulsion and comedy.

If you watched the three clips released on his YouTube channel before watching this it does spoil quite a few highlights. I regret having seen those. As the impact of certain moments was lessend. So beware.

As a documentary debut this deserves praise, but there is obviously work to be done. It feels loosely connected but mostly scrapped together. The narrative en story being build up ends up kind of anti climatic. The interviews aren't followed up as strongly as they were build up. I think Callaghan is still finding his voice in regards to how loud he want's it to speak, how defined he want's it to be, this right now feels safe. Comedy, an integral part of the Callaghan's succes felt minimal. There's still absurdity but moment's are played straight for the most part. But some creative editing choices could've reinforced his comedic angle which differentiate him from other documentaries. All in all it's simple and straight, room to improve.

This place rules is a documentary that while can be absolutely hysterical at times. It also can be a unique look and take on the contriving factors and dire situation that our country has and continues to face in present day politics

Andrew Callaghan is a great narrator throughout the entirety of the documentary in more in that he doesn't really do a whole lot. His limited words and dry humor allow for the words people say to speak out and just let the people he interviews tell the story. I do think there is a little bit or contradiction in the way he talks about division at times through the doc.

Narration:1.5/2

The interviews in this doc are absolutely insane that it is almost hard to believe that they are real but obviously we know that there are many people out there who believe this stuff and spread it to other people and across news outlets. There was however heavy editing in the doc as well as the use of children which I did not agree with.

Interviews:1.25/2

This doc is told brilliantly. The subtle documentation of the events of the 2020 election I thought were done incredibly well and I love how many places Callaghan visits and the way he documents the entire story. It is incredibly effective and creates the perfect storm to get the point across.

Storytelling:1.75/2

It is quite evident that Callaghan is the director of this doc as well and I think that helps it in a lot of aspects because it is not going into the hands of anybody else. He is the one that was there to analyze all of this raw footage and I think that's important as it makes a more genuine documentary to watch Directing:1.75/2

The use of imaging in the documentary is incredibly good and one that I think enhances the overall product. The editing is also superb as well cutting from very various people and scenes and makes the doc feel incredibly smooth viewing experience Other factors:1.5/2

Overall, this place rules should scare the hell out of you and I think it is one of the most effective docs at showing the division the country is at especially during that time period. Through the eyes of an average citizen make it a worthwhile watch and while it definitely will not draw with a pro trump crowd; any sensible person can watch it and digest it for what it is Overall:7.75.

I said "THIS IS INSAAAANE" so many times it coulda been a drinking game. I feel so much more sane after watching this. Politics in this country makes sense to me again. American discourse makes sense to me. I didn't even realize I had forgotten what objective journalism looks like. And then along comes an ad with this doofy-looking guy named Andrew and I thought sure, why not revisit January 6th and assess the wreckage. My man, where have you been all this time. I thought this country was polarized but really my view was polarized. We're all the same. We're all unhealthy, uneducated, pumped full of different misinformation, and understandably angry and confused and trying to figure it all out.