User reviews

I knew nothing about this despicable practice of patent trolls. Now I do. This documentary is an eye opener. A topic to look out for if you are an entrepreneur or looking to start a business. You can fall victim to these trolls at any time. It's terrible how it plays out when you are victimized. A corrupt system of lawyers and judges. Painfull to watch.

Austin Meyer was a victim of a patent troll... so he made a documentary to show us all many challenges frivolous patent litigation poses for business owners and entrepreneurs!

The steps are simple: Non-practicing entities (NPEs) or "patent trolls", purchase vague, low quality patents - many of which should never have been granted in the first place - to claim ownership of commonly-used ideas or business methods such as searching for something using a computer. These low lives use corrupted judges and their lawyer sons in one of the Eastern Districts of Texas to threaten litigation against businesses, particularly small and medium sized businesses they know will not have the funding to endure a lengthy legal battle.

The truth is out there... sadly in 4 years from the documentary none of the politicians did anything... but siding with the lawyers who obviously have deep pockets!

Austin Meyer, thank you!

The corrupt lawyers father/son tag team in East Texas has taken the American Dream and turned it into a nightmare.

This I found to be a really good amateur documentary. It highlights the problems of the capitalist system very clearly. Lawyers and the legal system squeezing money from normal businesses trying to create new innovative products that ultimately help society. A must watch for everyone!

Ignore the 1-star review. Although it's now 2021 (Harry Reid retired in 2015) and many states have passed legislation as well as Congress, the patent scam continues. The one-star reviewer sounds to me like the patent troll lawyer interviewed toward the end of the film who demanded "names and addresses" of any business or business owner who was driven out of business, completely ignoring the NDA that they are almost always forced to sign barring them from talking about the terms at all.

The fact of the matter is that in East Texas at the time of filming this movie, there were two father-son teams where the fathers were judges and the sons were lawyers who brought patent infringement suits for ridiculous patents held by themselves in layers of shell companies ostensibly located in vacant office buildings just steps from the courthouse. This is corruption, American style. Period. It's well cloaked in the appearance of legal legitimacy, but it's corruption nonetheless.

One-star reviewer attempts to differentiate between a patent being filed initially in 2001 vs. 2010 on a METHOD, not a technology. This person misses the point entirely, and likely purposely so. The patent in question was not for a device or technology but a method and vague idea of a phone that could also send and display video. This was already being conceived by numerous companies that would actually end up bringing the technology to the public, but the patent was held by a non-practicing entity, some rando dude in Japan for the express purpose of making money by suing companies for patent infringement.

One-star reviewer clearly has a vested interest in this topic and likely a conflicted one at that, given that there are 9 more stars with which to provide a rating. One-star smacks of an attempt to artificially drive down the overall rating rather than a good faith review with legitimate criticisms.

Although this film is now almost 4 years old, it is recommended viewing for those wishing to learn how corruption not only works, but is legitimized in the USA. 9/10 for an excellent effort by a first-time filmmaker.

Usually fake ratings try to push the overall score higher for a crappy movie, but it's opposite this time. The one star reviewer has only reviewed one movie in his entire existence, he seems to have created an account for the sole purpose of giving this movie the lowest rating possible, and spent a lot of time with it, it's almost as if that person has a vested interest in what he's doing.

If you've heard of the faulty patent system and wondered what that's all about, this movie spells it out plainly, and doesn't sugar coat anything.

Shows exactly what is wrong with today's patent laws and filing. Patent trolls are real and they can get you anywhere, specially if you are in the growth stage. Ridiculous state of the matter. I agree wit the end abstract remarks. Those changes are needed. Good job.

The documentary exposes the real scam of patent trolls. I would say, most or even all IT companies are under the threat of the patent troll lawyers, without even realizing that.

The documentary identifies real lawyers and web sites - which are fully functional as of today, June 29, 2021.

There is no simple remedy from that threat, because the lawyers use loopholes in the law, rather than breaking the law.

Watch the movie, google Patent Trolls and get basic info on what to do when you get their letters.

This man from SC, well educated and business savey took a lot of time to get to the bottom of an interesting issue that is impacting EVERY consumer for sure, but many business as well and our corrupt political system and antiquated legal system is protecting the wrong people, can you believe it? Anyone with some common sense needs to see this and we need to find a way to help fight these "Trolls". I hope you take the time to watch, if anything its interesting and sheds a lot of light on the processes used in technology today to continue to make money for those who are LAZY and GREEDY. Now, does that remind you of anyone you know? A politician maybe?

Capitalistism run amok! This is a very good example of why there MUST BE government regulations. And it is going to get worse my friends. Greed and corruption are quickly bringing our country to ruin. STOP ELECTING BASED ON PARTY LINES. ELECT THE PERSON, NOT THE PARTY!

Legal Extortion! Why would anyone even try to start a business until this is fixed?! I'm surprised the DW hasn't been used to hire Poetic Justice angels to at least teach them a lesson. If only the ending provided more guidance for us to help.

This is a must watch documentary that shows you the corrupt state of the American patent system.It shows how patent trolls and often corrupt lawyers/judges milk the system, to force helpless victims out of a livelihood.I sincerely hope that the Congress will pass a bill that puts an end to this gross injustice.

I'm sorry but I can't get past the first 5 minutes of this documentary with hoky black and white scetch comendy and then the reverberation voices and special effects of all the people talking! I dint get it this is a documentary, just tell us the facts.

This predatory litigation scheme should yield the death penalty. Let our ideas and businesses thrive along with or family's and entire country. Not a free absentee offices holding hostage the ability to breathe in one nostril and it the other or swing sideways vs forwards. This asinine archaine methodology must go for all Americans to thrive now.

Wow, this "documentary" is total nonsense. The examples it uses are completely spurious.

And there is a reason why the US leads the world in innovation. Why even the method for developing the covid vaccine came from the US and western researchers -- due to strong patent protection.

For a one man band film this is pretty good. Its not perfect much like the complex and expensive patent system. The examples it used could have been better but then would you have got permission from the patent holders to use them? At least the East Texas tag teams have been exposed and limited to just their area which the film shows is in the middle of nowhere, so fewer victims. Hopefully this film raised awareness so that could happen, so good for this guy who must have the biggest set of brass balls ever dealing with the gun loving locals.

I have a US patent and am somewhat familiar with the patent troll business. I did learn a few things though.The concentration of cases is East TX plus father son/judge to law firm are humiliating to most lawyers, I believe. What can be done? The problem is the trial lawyers and politicians that block them. These cases are far from the fair norm of suing someone that has wronged you. The next is a landmark patent "Alice" was granted in the last several years that makes if much more difficult for business methods patents (several defendants in the show had patents in that category.) Another remedy is to invalidate the patent the troll owns. According to the doc that should not be hard. Also, you have to go through the Patent System courts so you don't face the dishonest judges he mentions. According to the doc thr trolls are not likely to spend hard money defending them selves when they can just go to the next mullet.