Living on One Dollar

This was a very engrossing documentary. I found the method that the filmmakers chose to convey the experience of living in extreme poverty very moving without being overly sentimental. The stories that are highlighted within this documentary are interesting and help frame what potential is lost for lack of sufficient funds. When the documentary was finished I had a greater understanding of the possibilities for change within a direct funding framework vs huge amounts of grants and subsidies being thrown at an issue. I also appreciated that the film does not attempt to state there is just one answer. I look forward to seeing more from this team.

What a wonderfully humbling & memorable documentary! I watched this along with an entire high school campus in our attempt to share with teens what true poverty looks like. This documentary does not try to overdo anything. It's simple, concise, and impactful. It's a piece that gives one a new perspective in how to look at life and the hardships that we all have to endure. If one thinks his/her life is hard, this documentary may very well serve as a starting point to help an individual see that most hardships that many of us perceive truly do pale in comparison to what over 1 billion people in the world have to live with everyday. It's a great documentary to share with people regardless of age, race, gender, and class level. Watch it and tell people about it. Perhaps, together, many more people will become compassionate enough to help others who truly need our help.

I want to start off by saying that I don't know anything about film making as some of the other reviewers, BUT these 4 young men did a great job with this film. I did not lose interest once. I feel this is great documentary for all young teens and adults as well to watch. I feel that we as Americans get so caught up our daily activities and all of the opportunities that we get on a daily basis that we forget how the majority of this world really lives. I think that this movie was very inspiring and really motivated me to want to do more. I try already to help the needy, but I don't feel that I am ever doing enough. Thank you to the young men who made this, I am happy to share this with my children and other family members. We are so fortunate to live where we do and get the opportunities that we have. I also think that in making this documentary that these young men made more than a little difference in the lives that they filmed and the lives of those watching. It really does only take one to make a difference, no matter how small someone feels that difference was.

To all those who rates it extremely low:

"Oh it's just some rich boys condescending toward the extreme poor" - If trying to raise awareness of extreme poverty is condescension, then all charities are to some extent condescending toward the poor as well. The fact is, helping someone in need DOES NOT EQUAL to condescending. And if you've actually finished the film, you should be able to see how much respect the boys are paying to the people.

"Oh they're not replicating the true poverty situation enough" - Yes, perhaps they didn't replicate 100% of real extreme poverty. Yet, is it that necessary? No! I believe the contrast is already there, sufficient to inspire someone who has never seriously imagined what's it like to live on $1 per day, and to raise awareness on what's happening to the everyday lives of 1.1 billion people.

"Rendered the lives of Guatemalan people as two-dimensional" - Dude it's just a documentary under an hour, what do you expect? Too long and people may lose interest and patience to watch, too short and people complain for lack of depth. You really don't need that much "3D character portrayal" to imagine what's it really going on in Guatemala, do you?

All in all, it's an inspiring film that raised awareness of world's extreme poverty through the lenses of first-world kids. Sure, it's not perfect, but it did inspire many who watched it, and it raised a good amount of charity funding as well, I believe. In short, it's making an impact to the world, unlike many blockbusters which simply provided instant gratifications.

If only everyone donates a tiny bit of their monthly salary to a good charity, the poorest would be much better off. We need more films like this.

I'll start with some positives- it was insightful to see how the locals live, and their daily struggles. A completely different way of material living, even though we all have the same fundamental human needs and aspirations.

Some negatives- I felt the guys were quite naïve and underprepared. A lot of the "profound" things they learned were really obvious, and not at all fleshed out by the format or execution of their experiment. A longer stint, involving real subsistence farming or laboring could have provided more context. Just starving themselves on bananas and beans couldn't possibly achieve much.

Nevertheless, it was reasonably entertaining to watch and I'm glad they mixed well with the local population and spent time telling their stories. I particularly found it interesting how there was a real community and family spirit that is dying in modem consumer society so it was good that this was highlighted by this short documentary...