Comments on: Review: Maxed Out http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/review-maxed-out/ Investing and Personal Finance Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:34:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Around the Personal Finance Network http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/review-maxed-out/comment-page-1/#comment-7047 Around the Personal Finance Network Sun, 20 Jul 2008 20:07:11 +0000 http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/review-maxed-out/#comment-7047 [...] Mr. Cheap reviews Maxed Out (the movie) and despite its flaws, recommends the book and the movie. [...] [...] Mr. Cheap reviews Maxed Out (the movie) and despite its flaws, recommends the book and the movie. [...]

]]> By: Mr. Cheap http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/review-maxed-out/comment-page-1/#comment-7035 Mr. Cheap Sat, 19 Jul 2008 15:52:55 +0000 http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/review-maxed-out/#comment-7035 Jerry: If you ever see it I'd be interested in hearing whether you think its sensational or not. I agree with your second point, but tellingly it never came up in either work. People were painted as passive victims of the big, bad, financial industry, never as people who had made some bad choices (which reading between the lines for every story, you could see that bad choices must have been made at some point). Gates: I really enjoyed the talk you posted as well, thanks! Jerry: If you ever see it I’d be interested in hearing whether you think its sensational or not. I agree with your second point, but tellingly it never came up in either work. People were painted as passive victims of the big, bad, financial industry, never as people who had made some bad choices (which reading between the lines for every story, you could see that bad choices must have been made at some point).

Gates: I really enjoyed the talk you posted as well, thanks!

]]> By: Gates VP http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/review-maxed-out/comment-page-1/#comment-7023 Gates VP Fri, 18 Jul 2008 20:24:03 +0000 http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/review-maxed-out/#comment-7023 YW <b>Tim</b>. I hope that others watch and share as well. Canada definitely has a broader safety net than the US. But underneath, I think Warren's talk really encapsulates "the Recession" for what it is: a return to fiscal normalcy and long-term viability. YW Tim.

I hope that others watch and share as well. Canada definitely has a broader safety net than the US. But underneath, I think Warren’s talk really encapsulates “the Recession” for what it is: a return to fiscal normalcy and long-term viability.

]]> By: Jerry http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/review-maxed-out/comment-page-1/#comment-7004 Jerry Thu, 17 Jul 2008 21:46:54 +0000 http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/review-maxed-out/#comment-7004 (I somehow doubt that the families of people who killed themselves over debt would call their stories "sensationalistic" - but then again, I haven't seen the film yet.) I, too, tend to think that people need to quit buying ridiculous stuff that they can't afford, and that alone will lead to some excellent insurance for managing debt! Jerry (I somehow doubt that the families of people who killed themselves over debt would call their stories “sensationalistic” – but then again, I haven’t seen the film yet.) I, too, tend to think that people need to quit buying ridiculous stuff that they can’t afford, and that alone will lead to some excellent insurance for managing debt!
Jerry

]]> By: Traciatim http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/review-maxed-out/comment-page-1/#comment-6973 Traciatim Wed, 16 Jul 2008 22:51:46 +0000 http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/review-maxed-out/#comment-6973 Wow Gates VP, thanks for the incredible link, that talk was profound. I watched both Maxed Out and In Debt we trust and found them both to be far too superficial to be of any value. I left each thinking "What a bunch of whiners, just stop buying crap IDIOTS!" and not what the creators were trying to convey about the credit card industry. Warren really drives the point home with real data and no sob stories. It was far more impactful than Maxed Our and In Debt we Trust combined. Wow Gates VP, thanks for the incredible link, that talk was profound. I watched both Maxed Out and In Debt we trust and found them both to be far too superficial to be of any value. I left each thinking “What a bunch of whiners, just stop buying crap IDIOTS!” and not what the creators were trying to convey about the credit card industry.

Warren really drives the point home with real data and no sob stories. It was far more impactful than Maxed Our and In Debt we Trust combined.

]]> By: Gates VP http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/review-maxed-out/comment-page-1/#comment-6972 Gates VP Wed, 16 Jul 2008 21:05:57 +0000 http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/review-maxed-out/#comment-6972 Quoted For Truth: The book and movie’s biggest failing, common to works of this nature, is that they rely on anecdotal evidence to convince you of the problem.

For something real about US debt, see this YouTube video about the problem. Real numbers and research, lots of good information, no victim mentality.

It’s a different perspective and I’m still going to blame people for their own spending problems, but Elizabeth Warren (author of “The Two Income Trap”) definitely makes a lot of good points.

]]> By: ConnieB http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/review-maxed-out/comment-page-1/#comment-6971 ConnieB Wed, 16 Jul 2008 19:32:42 +0000 http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/review-maxed-out/#comment-6971 Thanks for the review. I was going to check this out and now, based of the review I am not. I am all for anything that actually presents real solutions, but if I want drama, I'll turn on the afternoon soaps or read a trashy novel. A whole lot of people are in big trouble right now and frankly, I think this like this just capitalize on them rather than actually helping them. I do appreciate the review. Saved me some money and some time! Thanks for the review. I was going to check this out and now, based of the review I am not.

I am all for anything that actually presents real solutions, but if I want drama, I’ll turn on the afternoon soaps or read a trashy novel.

A whole lot of people are in big trouble right now and frankly, I think this like this just capitalize on them rather than actually helping them.

I do appreciate the review. Saved me some money and some time!

]]> By: Mr. Cheap http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/review-maxed-out/comment-page-1/#comment-6969 Mr. Cheap Wed, 16 Jul 2008 17:07:51 +0000 http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/review-maxed-out/#comment-6969 telly: <grin> I guess I should try making my writing legible rather than just laugh at myself how convoluted it is. What I was TRYING to say there was if you've enjoyed one, try the other (book or movie). BASS: Will check that out. I enjoyed <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/credit/" rel="nofollow">the secret life of credit cards</a> (which the baglady turned me on to - check out her post about it and <a href="http://baglady.dreamhosters.com/2007/09/07/thoughts-on-the-maxed-out-movie-contains-spoilers/" rel="nofollow">Maxed out</a>). telly: I guess I should try making my writing legible rather than just laugh at myself how convoluted it is. What I was TRYING to say there was if you’ve enjoyed one, try the other (book or movie).

BASS: Will check that out. I enjoyed the secret life of credit cards (which the baglady turned me on to – check out her post about it and Maxed out).

]]> By: bigasssuperstar http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/review-maxed-out/comment-page-1/#comment-6968 bigasssuperstar Wed, 16 Jul 2008 16:52:38 +0000 http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/review-maxed-out/#comment-6968 If you want to see a film with the same goals as Maxed Out, but presented with less tact and a more victim-oriented perspective, see <a href="http://www.bigasssuperstar.com/2008/06/maxed-out-good-movie-about-bad-credit.html" rel="nofollow">In Debt We Trust.</a> Between the two, Maxed Out is the more competent and compelling of the two ... though I agree it seems to overlook the impact of a consumerist lifestyle in favour of making the credit industry the boogeyman of choice. If you want to see a film with the same goals as Maxed Out, but presented with less tact and a more victim-oriented perspective, see In Debt We Trust.

Between the two, Maxed Out is the more competent and compelling of the two … though I agree it seems to overlook the impact of a consumerist lifestyle in favour of making the credit industry the boogeyman of choice.

]]> By: Kyle http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/review-maxed-out/comment-page-1/#comment-6966 Kyle Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:06:38 +0000 http://www.moneysmartsblog.com/review-maxed-out/#comment-6966 I saw the movie and thought it was a bit sensationalist. Like Michael Moore, Scurlock can be described less as a documentarian and more of an editorialist. Neither particularly tries to give you the whole story; rather they frame the discussion quite intentionally from their own position and attempt to convince you they're right. I saw the movie and thought it was a bit sensationalist. Like Michael Moore, Scurlock can be described less as a documentarian and more of an editorialist. Neither particularly tries to give you the whole story; rather they frame the discussion quite intentionally from their own position and attempt to convince you they’re right.

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