User reviews

Andrew Callaghan is best known for his YouTube videos where he interviews people with very large personalities who are also sometimes under the influence of various substances. I'm only a little familiar with his stuff, having seen a couple here and there, but the format was still recognizable in this feature-length documentary, which sees Callaghan going to various events that took place between November 2020 and January 2021. All revolved around the then-current election and its dramatic fallout, and along the way, he also interviews a few high-profile people in more standard interviews.

I do like how this film has a message without being preachy. While it does focus on extreme personalities on the right more than the left, it doesn't let those on the left off the hook, and feels a good deal more balanced than most contemporary American documentaries about politics as a result. The interviewees also make this more entertaining than most political documentaries... at least for a good portion of its runtime.

The biggest problem is that at a point, it does become a tiny bit repetitive. There are only so many rallies and screaming matches you can bear witness to before exhaustion sets in, but at the same time, the film's only about 80 minutes long, so it doesn't overstay its welcome too much. I think it concludes well, but also slightly jarringly, as Callaghan does become a little more obtrusive in the final 5-10 minutes, spelling out/directly discussing some of the things he's been building towards in order to give this a proper ending, and to ensure it doesn't just feel like binging 80 minutes worth of his YouTube videos.

But complaints aside, a lot of this is really good stuff, and I like his style of journalism. Modern news media and mainstream documentaries show how difficult it is to cover a subject like this in a way that's engaging, informative, and not biased, and I think Callaghan manages to do all of those for most of this film's runtime. For anyone who's not worried revisiting the world of politics in 2020 will make them tear their hair out in anger and/or despair, this documentary's easy to recommend.

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.

I've been a fan of Andrew's for years. And I think most fans would tell you that it was inevitable that he would go on to make a full-length documentary film.

This Place Rules documents the events that lead up to the January 6th riots. Much like most of Andrew's journalism, this documentary was funny, sad, disturbing, and incredibly eye-opening. What I always appreciated about Andrew's journalism technique is that he never tries to trap anyone into obvious "gotcha" questions. Instead, he goes out in the field and finds the action, letting anyone who talks to him go completely off the rails if they so choose to. He doesn't manipulate what people say and just lets them talk about whatever they want. This results in much of the humor that is found in Andrew's Journalism.

But don't be fooled, This Place Rules is not a joke. It highlights the very real dangers and manipulations of extreme radical thinking that is perpetuated by social media forums and news media who profit off of fear and division. Some of this can be hard to watch because you can't help but empathize with some of the people who have gone so far down the rabbit hole that they seem to be beyond redemption. This documentary should be viewed as a warning of what will happen if someone chooses to go down this path.

This Place Rules is not only entertaining, but it's also important. And even though much of this documentary focuses on some of the most horrific events that we have experienced in the last 2 years, I was left with some hope because Andrew is using this film to show people the dangers of radical beliefs and I for one believe that this film will make people re-evaluate their lives so they don't end up going down this very destructive path.

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.

Andrew Callaghan's Channel 5 series on YouTube is probably one the best ways anyone can try and understand contemporary America in our age of polarization, weirdness, and chronic rule breaking. Often, I watch Channel 5 and think to myself, "there really is no place quite like America, is there?"

And, that sentiment echoes with This Places Rules, Callaghan's collaboration with HBO and A24. The film essentially follows the format of his YouTube channel: Callaghan travels across the United States, interviewing odd people, using expert editing and well timed humour to send you on a compelling rabbit hole: the dark underbelly of American society. Sometimes it's sad, sometimes it's hopeful, sometimes it's scary. But it's almost always funny.

This Place Rules is mostly focused on the lead up to the January 6th attack on the U. S. Capitol and features interviews with hardcore Trumpers, Christian nationalists, the Proud Boys, Alex Jones and so on, but also normal people who illustrate how polarized the zeitgeist in the United States really is. While the focus is on right wing extremism, there are explorations of extremism on the left as well, and Callaghan makes a compelling case how both Antifa and their opponents on the street feed into each other.

It's also interesting to note how despite the many pitched street battles we witnessed leading up to J6, the reality is that the American experiment is still pushing through. In a sense, watching how bad things were and how they've gotten slightly better is hopeful. But, Callaghan doesn't offer any answers or predictions for the future. This Place Rules really is capturing a specific moment in time in a capsule.

Unfortunately, this movie is lacking quite a bit on the production side of things. While I understand the idea was probably to give Callaghan and the team maximum creative freedom, the association with HBO and A24 implies a higher level of quality. This film feels like one long YouTube video and lacks the editing, production values, lighting, music, and cinematography you'd expect from a production like this. There's an enduring feeling of cheapness, especially with the somewhat cringe inducing moments when Callaghan is sitting in front of a lazy black curtain and waxing poetic about the film. HBO couldn't have gotten the man a set? Really?

As good as some of the interviews and ideas are, the reality is This Place Rules feels forgettable. It should've been flashier and given us a glimpse into what this team could do with a higher budget. As it stands, it's okay, but really, you could just watch Channel 5 and have a very similar experience.

In "This Place Rules" Andrew Callaghan doesn't spin narratives or tell you how to think - he simply documents events that led up to January 6th.

While cable news and mainstream media networks feed propaganda to the masses, it's nice to get a raw look at the insanity on both sides of the political spectrum. Not only is this documentary informative, it's also hilarious, sad, and - at times - just plain depressing. But it needs to be. All Callghan does is hold up a mirror to the audience.

If you don't like whatever message you get from this documentary then you need to take a long hard look inside yourself.

Lots of interviews with drunk and drugged up people on both sides. It really exposes the worst of the US in every way. People who are so disconnected from reality that they have nothing to offer beyond fear and anger. People who openly claim to be Nazi's, fascists, religious zealots, and anarchists. It's frightening to see children raised in families like these that feed them non-sensical, truly unbelievable conspiracy theories from a young age.

The interviewer who intersperses a little commentary here and there, rarely asks any questions of the people he interviews. He just holds out a microphone and lets them spout whatever insane nonsense they want.

The first 2/3s of the film isn't even really focused on Jan 6th. It's just random mentally unbalanced people being interviewed on the streets during various protests with a few interviews with radical leaders like Alex Jones, who are mostly admittedly in it for the money. Unfortunately these leaders manipulated all these angry, ignorant and unbalanced people who don't know what to believe to take violent actions.

It's a truly sad portrayal of America when this is really just a small portion of the population.

Channel 5 is immensely entertaining, and is a testament to Andrew's impartial interview style. Unfortunately, this extended format focused on a narrative that was never fleshed out.

The motivating theme - that corporate media is unnecessarily divisive - isn't really addressed in a satisfying way, and Andrew's interview subjects make the reporting seem conservative by contrast. Worse yet, the interviews are relatively one-sided given the focus on Jan 6, which makes it seem like the divisiveness is completely justified. Nothing controversial is touched, no pieces of narrative examined or challenged.

The result is a surface-level, disjointed documentary that provides no substance and leaves the viewer without a clear conclusion.

Andrew Callaghan and his brand, Channel 5, are unlike any journalism you've seen because it begs for your undivided attention while never seeing a boring moment throughout.

So, how far has America gone into the rabbit hole? Is there an end, or is that hole ever growing? Andrew brings us directly to the moment, we get to experience what his camera saw and believe me, you will want to see what that camera saw.

Andrew brings the same unflappability to every situation he encounters and covers and represents a standard the news industry has long aspired to but never quite satisfied.

This is how journalism should be done. I highly recommend getting a glimpse into the madness that is America.

Didn't waste a second of my time its a very fun documentary even if you don't like politics , it shows all the different sides of Jan 6 riot without taking sides , my jaw was always wide open while watching this as it show the different kinda of people who participated and was affected by this also Andrew is a great interviewer as he never project his own thoughts or value into others and let them speak their opinion

from your average American struggling to make ends meet to snake oil salesman to children's in the street to grown adults who you can't believe they exist in today social media world , truly a must watch just for the entertaining factor alone 10/10 would watch again.

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.

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.

I get it, some people will miss a storyline here. It feels like a lot of different pieces together, if you're looking for 'one story'.

But this is different, this has been done before but only in small portions. Here the whole movie is focused on a lot of interviewees. So it's actually normal that this does not feel like it should.

I don't think Andrew's work since All Gas... and now Channel 5 was to show one story. He imitates a classic news reporter but does not do a classic news reporting move. There is no going back to the studio, and all the attention and time is spent on all the passengers/interviewees, the people, at the location. It's a 'news program', not like we know we it, but it is. There is no 'one story'.

This is not a made storyline. This is a view in events and characters. This is not supposed to tell you one thing, this gives a lot. Like a night in a city full of people but put on fast forward. A lot, but real. And at that, this movie does a great job.

Really wanted to like this but came away just sort of let down. They never delve into anything for more than a few minutes and it makes the whole documentary feel incomplete. They tryi to cover too much and as a result fail to really cover anything. Barely touching covid, the election, protests, etc, everything was so surface level and the whole documentary had no real direction or narrative. It felt like they just found the weirdest individuals they could and then tried to weave a story around that after the fact. The start of the film talks about asking "how we got here" and then they just silently hold the mike up to the most riled up people they could find without really questioning them. Honestly not really worth the time.

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've enjoyed Channel 5 for a while, because Andrew is such a smart interviewer, letting people just talk. It's amazing how much people can dig their own graves, if allowed to speak without an interviewer shoving their agenda down their throat.

I grew up watching a lot of Michael Moore documentaries, and while I enjoy them, he was always trying to instigate and push his views.

With this documentary, Andrew does an amazing job just allowing people to speak from their hearts, even if those hearts may be broken and driven by profit. A great look of how the January 6 riots were driven by so called "leaders" who really just wanted to divide the country further to make a buck for themselves.

I would recommend to all people in every country to watch this, especially those who handle the media. I am not from America, but a similar scenario happened to this country when election was happening. I wish all of the media are as objective as him and covering all sides. I hope we all get to the point where we see how toxic is extreme polarity. In the end, it's all the capitalists game of selling merchandise and selling biased information. I hope we get to the point where we are in balanced. However, that rarely happens. This "civil war" has shown to us how the common people are the pawns. We're being played. I hope we all get to realize that we have to step back first in order to arrive at the best action towards an event. Don't throw yourself immediately into the hordes.

I'm super proud that Andrew Callaghan was able to get a HBO documentary and I'm glad with how he did it. He shows unbiased thoughts and let's everyone voice their opinions. This really exceeded my expectations and I think it's 100% worth this watch as it really does show how politics affect our country and how it does bad and that the media only wants to show you certain things instead of other things. I'm proud Andrew Callaghan was able to get this documentary and I think he really did such an amazing job and I'm super happy for him since this was so enjoyable and I think it was a pretty good documentary.

I wanted to like this more, but felt like it lost direction and had no general thesis or structure. It was a bit all over the place. Good interviews wild people, but this "documentary" - and I'm not even sure I can even call it this. Does Andrew actually know what he is talking about? I think he did a good job finding crazy people - but there is no direct point to this movie. It is just a bit disjointed and all over the place.

Is it about an election? Andrew seems like he tried to combine his successful AGNB model and make it into something educational. Really disappointed in this. This is just demeaning and wrong.

I'm so proud of how far Andrew Callaghan has come. I've been following his work from the start and I couldn't be more thrilled that he is reaching larger audiences. This documentary is the most important thing I've seen in years. Everyone should watch this.

This film puts into perspective the train wreck that was the capital insurrection of January 6, 2021. It does a great job of examining the entities behind the events that lead up to it and what they had to gain. It also does a great job of getting up close and personal with people deeply entrenched in these ideologies and the impact it has on their daily lives and psychology.

Fantastic work from Andrew and his crew as always. They show you what they see and let you form your own opinions about it. That is rare these days. They slowly but surely are making this world a better place with everything that they do.

Andrew Callaghan is one of the best interviewers around these days. Not one to hack into his subjects, trying to pull the answers out, but sometimes merely a bystander guiding them into comfortably throwing their weird ideas and beliefs onto the table. I'm no expert in the land of documentaries and interviews, but truly do believe Callaghan has found a new and fresh style of interviewing with this.

It also allows for the people being interviewed to build the story, rather than the interviewer being too much in the center.

Overall, it's a great way to show the dystopian side of society and humanity like Callaghan prefers doing.

I normally avoid watching political documentaries because they either make me sad or sound like an hour of whatever propaganda is being shoved in my face. Luckily, this doc is not like that. While it's a very heavy topic, Andrew does a great job being a clear storyteller while allowing moments of comedic relief by poking fun of both political sides. Theres moments where you can't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. At the same time, he doesn't downplay the series of events. Instead, he focuses on the human aspect while giving you all the facts.

Regardless of where you stand, I highly recommend giving this documentary a try. I hope teachers play this in classrooms!