Owned: A Tale of Two Americas (2018) User Reviews

It a lot.

[motenswing · 7/10 · 8 February 2022]

Disappointed with this especially after the great work of Giorgio Angelini on "Feels Good Man", which was an amazing, deft presentation of narrative of an immense amount of detail. Here, the octopus, many faceted of the topic seems to overwhelm Angelini. His attempt to connect the beginning/end of the film, which is a personal life/worldview comparison, with the middle "facts/history" portion is embarrassingly amateurish. His has said in interviews his goal was to have the film connect emotionally. Who was the intended audience here? What pandering would reach anyone not living in a cave. Comparing a retired cop from Levittown gathering with friends for a meatball lunch with that of lame diversity session that attempts to surprise the audience with the unveiling of a convicted felon to be an educated, "articulate, black person" is the inch deep, inch wide stuff of a sheltered novice. Too, bad. The middle portion's presentation of the subject's history is the most successful and shows Angelini's promise as a filmmaker, but it's still overly ambitious in attempting to portray the intended scope of its topic in less than 90 minutes. Angelini's ability to keenly edit the many interviews into the narrative that keeps it from otherwise feeling slapdash and scattered. Hopefully it affords him more deserved opportunities, which include episodic ones.

Sobering, powerful, and kinda funny

[Carl_Weathers_Storms · 10/10 · 9 October 2019]

This is a phenomenal piece of work. It definitely covers a lot of ground. And I can see why some people want it to focus. But if you have no clue about any of this, the film does a pretty heroic job of giving you a crash course on our crazy history of home ownership.The crony capitalist parts. It's really good.

The single bad review here seems to be coming from a sadly predictable group of people in America who see the re-telling of actual history as some kind of personal threat.

This is a great issues-based doc. I wish more others took the kind of artistic chances Owned took. Super cool

Wow punch to the gut

[DaleGantLovesFilm · 10/10 · 10 October 2019]

Saw it at WYO Fest. Audience was typical for Sheridan. ie white and doing pretty ok. I have to say, the experience was pretty moving. I thought it was going to be about the housing crash. And it was sort of but it went deeper. I got a little nervous. but after the screening most everyone there seemed to be as moved as me. This is an important story. We're all in this together. That's the spirit of the film. Really recommend a viewing,

Angelic...

[geoffsherr · 10/10 · 15 June 2019]

This film is purely angelic. It's a thoughtful, moving analysis of housing inequality and why people need to be more engaged. Especially in the current political climate. WATCH IT!

Excellent Film

[scoreJ6 · 8/10 · 4 September 2019]

Excellent film that succinctly addresses the racism baked into decades of our land use and housing policies. The only way to improve the film would be to incorporate the experiences of Latino, Asian, and Native Americans for whom the housing market has also been titled against.

Excellent & Enjoyable Documentary

[smithcowan · 10/10 · 4 September 2019]

A very compelling documentary, that covers housing issues but broader societal topics as well. Great cinematography and storytelling. Definitely worth a view.

You have to be a maniac to give this one star

[m-hulot · 10/10 · 15 June 2019]

Don't let the pigs set the score! OWNED is a wonderfully told story that needs to be seen. But the troll farm downvoting this flick clearly doesn't want you to know about the injustices that continue to plague our communities and shape the unjust world that so many in the US are still victims of. It seems they would rather bury a fantastic film that sheds light on a problem than dealing with their prejudices and admitting that they benefit from a system that has made a permanent underclass of the most vulnerable in America. God bless the filmmakers and this film for speaking to power at this very tumultuous time.

A must watch!

[clistwan · 9/10 · 8 September 2019]

This will spark a long and healthy dialogue within your family, friends, or social community about importance of home ownership, whether good or bad, and it's relevance in our countries history and future. We've all been affected by the relevant topics coming out of this film. It's highly important to view and discuss. Please watch and share this with others.

Truth Behind the System

[BobaBae · 10/10 · 16 June 2019]

Illuminating look at the history behind our housing system and the deeply entrenched societal injustices being used in order to maintain power. It's documentaries like this that are continually needed to shine a light on the truth of a broken system and educate. Well Done!

Great film!

[jalsanders-1 · 10/10 · 15 June 2019]

Well made and important film. A must see! Have followed this film since it's early development, Giorgio and team did a great job exploring housing rights, architecture and more.

The American Dream, for some.

[mrchrispeters · 10/10 · 6 September 2019]

This documentary does a fantastic job of illustrating how people of color are kept out of the American Dream because of white flight, fear, and greed.

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for ALL."

We are still working on the "ALL part" in this country. This film shows another facet of American life of where this only applies to SOME.

The film also reveals the our addiction to build, build, build then figure out how to pay for all we built.

I can not wait for this to be including in streaming subscriptions so it's easier for more people to see it.

Important distillation of our housing crises

[antonellichris · 10/10 · 4 September 2019]

Giorgio and team did an excellent job drawing the lines between historical housing policies, the "american dream" and the current housing crises across the country.

Don't believe the one star anonymous reviews. I honesty can't figure out who would be trolling this documentary. Maybe real estate people?

Important Documentary, Important Topics

[rosj-49271 · 10/10 · 4 September 2019]

Great film! This film has beauty cinematography, much done with drone footage, archival advertisements that take you back in time. I put this movie on in our Family Room and it drew in both my Spouse, and two of my kids, all of whom would typically be uninterested in such topics. I would highly recommend taking the time to watch this film!

Solid

[mikesemple · 10/10 · 23 October 2019]

This is a great film done by thoughtful, conscientious film makers... it looks, sounds and feels correct. The subject matter strikes me as relevant and important to my values and it seems to be coming at a time when this sort of thought provoking is necessary. Nicely done.

Art intersects sociology

[laurenrdunn · 10/10 · 29 October 2019]

To me, this film embodies the role art plays in culture. There is so much to be said here about the topics of the housing crisis, race relations in the U.S., and the role home ownership plays in our economy, that it's hard to even scratch the surface in 83 minutes. But this film offers a series of understated vignettes that give a gorgeously sparse sense of the problems we're facing. Because of its brevity, it leaves the viewer plenty of room to see themselves in these problems and ask ourselves personal questions about the solutions and the role we should play in those solutions. It asks important questions instead of trying to answer everything. It is surprisingly packed with information in spite of its spare desolation, and it makes you ache while still being a pleasure to watch. Highly recommend.

Powerful and insightful

[Rickdalton1915 · 9/10 · 28 February 2020]

Don't know what more you want in a doc. Learned more in 80 minutes than most other docs. And it was fun to watch. Powerful ending too. We have so much to learn. The film is chopped up into four parts. It seems like it bounces around a bunch. And it does. But that's kinda the point I guess. You see how much housing effects so many aspects of life. Still thinking about this film days after.

Wow!

[WillyWilson5 · 10/10 · 19 October 2019]

This is an excellent documentary. I learned so much watching this film. Highly recommend!

Enjoyable and educational

[Carlotown · 10/10 · 28 February 2020]

Hard to imagine a "fun" documentary about housing policy. But came across this trying to find a doc about red lining. Didn't disappoint. And went places I didn't expect. Really beautifully shot too. Great characters. Don't understand all the negative reviews. It's like people who refuse to believe the civil war was about slavery. Anyway. If you're not crazy and enjoy good films, and learning, this is for you. If you're a racist. Idk. Maybe could also be for you too.

Must Watch... It should make you rethink the value of real estate

[bsblove-93404 · 10/10 · 27 January 2020]

An excellent, meticulous documentary giving the background of redlining, the development of segregated communities, and how classicism and racism are used to distract focus from the real cost of greed and ignorance. The details are clear and plain some have completely missed the message, just pay attention... it's all in the documentary. Well done!