The Brainwashing of My Dad
- 2015
- 1h 30m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
1.6K
YOUR RATING
After her dad shifts his politics from left to right, his daughter tries to understand what happened.After her dad shifts his politics from left to right, his daughter tries to understand what happened.After her dad shifts his politics from left to right, his daughter tries to understand what happened.
- Awards
- 7 wins & 3 nominations total
Glenn Beck
- Self
- (archive footage)
Sean Hannity
- Self
- (archive footage)
Rush Limbaugh
- Self
- (archive footage)
Bill Maher
- Self
- (archive footage)
Bill O'Reilly
- Self
- (archive footage)
Jeanine Pirro
- Self
- (archive footage)
Frank Senko
- Self
- (archive footage)
Featured reviews
This was released three years ago, but it is more relevant in 2018 than ever before. Great history and explanation of why our country is so divided and what gave rise to a President that can spew lies and hate and it makes no difference to his supporters. It seems that half of our country is now brainwashed.
It is quite apparent that those who gave this movie low marks are among the brainwashed. How do we deprogram a nation???
It is quite apparent that those who gave this movie low marks are among the brainwashed. How do we deprogram a nation???
This film should be required viewing for all U.S. voters for they will understand just how insidious, wide ranging and effective the right wing media machine (e.g., Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, conservative talk radio etc.)has been on the cultural landscape for the past 20 years.
Beyond the expected debunking of what we know is a sham -- Fox New's "Fair and Balanced" misreporting and Limbaugh's outlandish comments -- Ms. Senko's film takes us beyond the dictated talking points of Fox President's Roger Ailes to something much deeper and chilling.
The skill of these propagandists and their toxic effect on ordinary citizens (as seen through the lens of her own father) is an eye opener. The ending was especially moving. See it for yourself.
Beyond the expected debunking of what we know is a sham -- Fox New's "Fair and Balanced" misreporting and Limbaugh's outlandish comments -- Ms. Senko's film takes us beyond the dictated talking points of Fox President's Roger Ailes to something much deeper and chilling.
The skill of these propagandists and their toxic effect on ordinary citizens (as seen through the lens of her own father) is an eye opener. The ending was especially moving. See it for yourself.
The personal story of filmmaker Jen Senko's dad is a cautionary tale many of us can relate to. And it's directly related - we learn - to the disinformation coming from the Right Wing media that has driven so much political acrimony in this country. In fact, the fanatical political divisions in the US are the same ones that divide families on a personal level. By following the thread of American politics and how it relates to the rise of the Right Wing media, Senko builds a solid case. We learn how and why all of this came about.
There have been other films that examined the subject of the Right Wing Media and its negative effects on democracy, but they tend to be dry treatises.
This should be required viewing for anyone who cares about a free and informative media in this country. An important film. And an entertaining one!
There have been other films that examined the subject of the Right Wing Media and its negative effects on democracy, but they tend to be dry treatises.
This should be required viewing for anyone who cares about a free and informative media in this country. An important film. And an entertaining one!
I fell under the spell of conservative talk radio when I was out of college and working as a delivery driver. I was bitter and angry that the 4-year liberal arts degree I worked hard to obtain was seemingly worthless. As academia had failed to deliver success, I was eager to find and alternate worldview: looking for something to believe in, or, a purpose. Neil boortz, Michael savage, and bill o'reilly were my guides on this fruitless journey. Their rhetoric was effective because they (1) created an enemy: either enemies to prosperity (lazy welfare dependents, illegal immigrants), or enemies to security (radical Muslims): basically, people I could feel superior to. (2) "real listeners" calling in to share their victimization from political correct "social engineering" (3) the hosts' unwavering confidence and focused message, which is amplified by
talking over those people who call in with alternate viewpoints. According to this documentary, these tactics are commonly employed by right-wing talk shows and foxnews (great collage of fox news "journalists" shouting over their guests to prevent them from expressing their ideas). How did I manage to give this up? A combination of things: my parents always had fox news on in the house and I grew annoyed at the lack of critical thinking and one-sidedness. I found that my media choices were putting me in a category of people who deferred to their tribal mentality than think critically. I began to see these media hosts more as propagandists than informed critics (Michael Savage's assertion that Obama attended an "Islamic Madrassas" in Indonesia--a country I had some personal knowledge of--was laughable). This documentary was enjoyable as it helped me understand how my political identity went on a certain path for a brief time
I rated this movie 9 rather than 10 because it's got a few imperfections but non of those blemishes effect the core story in the least. Jen interviews some amazing philosophers and some of the people who actually manipulated our culture to show us why we are where we are right now.
Jen shares with us a story involving her own family; her mother and siblings observed changes in her fathers behavior and she explores the causes of those changes. This isn't a minor thing, this gets to the heart of some very important social issues we're seeing around us right now; xenophobia, fear, patriotism and personal conflict. She gives us insight into some of the drivers behind these emotions and why they might be pushing our culture in a specific direction (that some of do not like at all).
The best part? She leaves us with hope and that's worth quite a lot.
Jen shares with us a story involving her own family; her mother and siblings observed changes in her fathers behavior and she explores the causes of those changes. This isn't a minor thing, this gets to the heart of some very important social issues we're seeing around us right now; xenophobia, fear, patriotism and personal conflict. She gives us insight into some of the drivers behind these emotions and why they might be pushing our culture in a specific direction (that some of do not like at all).
The best part? She leaves us with hope and that's worth quite a lot.
Did you know
- ConnectionsFeatures Sanjuro (1962)
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official sites
- Language
- Also known as
- A Lavagem Cerebral do Meu Pai
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $200,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $7,028
- Gross worldwide
- $7,028
- Runtime
- 1h 30m(90 min)
- Color
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