Top 10 Movies That Make You Distrust The Government
Ask not what your government can do for you; ask if your government is screwing you. Join http://www.WatchMojo.com as we count down our picks for the Top 10 Movies that Make You Distrust the Government. For this list, we're taking a look at movies that for one reason or another make you question the institution of government and the officials that are a part of it.
Special thanks to our user Matthew Thomas for submitting the idea using our interactive suggestion tool at http://www.WatchMojo.comsuggest
Top 10 Movies That Make You Distrust The Government
Ask not what your government can do for you; ask if your government is screwing you. Welcome to WatchMojo.com and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 movies that make you distrust the government. For this list, we’re taking a look at movies that for one reason or another make you question the institution of government and the officials that are a part of it. In case it isn’t obvious, we will be talking about these films in detail so SPOILER ALERT.
#10: “The Ides of March” (2011)
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This movie focuses on Stephen Meyers, the junior campaign manager of the Democratic Presidential candidate and Pennsylvania Governor Mike Morris. Morris’ recent fling with an intern on his campaign left her pregnant – and this could seriously ruin his career. Morris, a highly charismatic politician who’d previously espoused his desire to run a clean campaign, makes several deals to cover up the potential scandal, which makes him yet another dirty politician. Leaving us reflecting on whether it is possible to have success in politics and remain loyal to your ideals, we see a man who made a mistake but wants to do good become yet another tool of the system.
#9: “Soylent Green” (1973)
In a dystopian future where overpopulation, pollution and depleted resources leave much of society dependent on processed foods, including the titular Soylent Green, something is not as it seems. Though it’s ostensibly a movie focusing on the murder of a wealthy businessman, it’s actually a government that would do things like run state-sponsored assisted suicide clinics that add the most intrigue to this story. Of course, it’s ultimately the massive and massively corrupt Soylent Corporation that the government protects that will leave you aghast when you discover the true content of Soylent Green.
#8: “A Clockwork Orange” (1971)
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Alex DeLarge and his droogs are a group of nasty young men who spend their nights handing out some ultra-violence to whoever crosses their paths. That is why it is a truly amazing feat that by the end of the film, Alex earns our pity while the institutions are the ones that have earned our ire. The government, through the prison system, puts Alex through a treatment meant to rehabilitate him, but in actuality it is no more than experimentation. Even his former criminal friends are now cops, which is even more evidence of how sullied this film’s government has become.
#7: “Wag the Dog” (1997)
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In this political comedy, the President turns to spin-doctors when he is caught coming onto an underage girl - and their advice is more than a little unorthodox. Recruiting a Hollywood producer to distract the public, they craft a new narrative about a fictitious war against Albania, complete with iconic images and film footage. You don’t have to be a conspiracy theorist to think that the government keeps secrets from us in real life, as this has been proven again and again, but this film may leave your head spinning and wanting to wear a tin foil hat whenever possible.
#6: “V for Vendetta” (2006)
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There is a reason why, in the years after this film’s release, the Guy Fawkes mask became a symbol of many political protests. In a future version of England where the country is under the control of a fascist government that rules with an iron grip, one man wearing a mask becomes a symbol of rebellion. Many countries today don’t have the control they do in this film, but while stories of increased government surveillance permeate our news, we left “V for Vendetta” incapable of shaking the feeling that they’d certainly like to.
#5: “Good Night, and Good Luck.” (2005)
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A magnificent film that tells the tale of Edward R. Murrow, a radio and TV journalist standing up against his own government, it is an inspiring tale of patriotism made necessary by dark days. Senator Joseph McCarthy is a blight on the history of the American government. Using the power that his position afforded him to ruin lives and using America’s fear of the supposed Red Menace so well that he could and would accuse anyone he pleased, we hope nobody like him gains power ever again. “Good Night and Good Luck” doesn’t need to manufacture distrust; it instead serves as a teaching tool of what can and has gone wrong.
#4: “Fahrenheit 9/11” (2004)
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Michael Moore’s documentary focusing on the presidency of George W. Bush is highly controversial as it is said that, in it, he plays play fast and loose with the facts. One thing we know for sure though: whether or not you trust the filmmaker once the credits roll, it is more likely you’re not going to trust a government led by President Bush. Largely focusing on the reasoning that was given to the world as a pretext to the Iraq War, many people left this film feeling lied to by those who are supposed to represent them.
#3: “The Manchurian Candidate” (1962)
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When a platoon of soldiers is taken by the Soviets and they manage to make their escape largely unscathed, things seem too good to be true - and it may not surprise you that they are. This film and its surprisingly good remake depict a government experimenting on soldiers, with the soldiers brainwashed into being assassins. Once “The Manchurian Candidate” comes to an end, we begin to wonder if governments in the world we live in have done just that - including to their own men. If the people fighting for their country aren’t safe, then how can we be?
#2: “All the President’s Men” (1976)
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A dramatization of the real-life efforts of journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein to expose the criminal behavior of President Richard Nixon following the Watergate break-in, this film’s happy ending is that they succeed – with help from the mysterious source Deep Throat. Unfortunately that ending also implies that nobody in the government can be trusted and we depend on a crumbling profession to protect us from the men and women we elect. In our view, the story of a president’s administration sending people to break in to their opposing political party’s headquarters is a perfect example of how power can ruin ethics. Before we reveal our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. - “Eagle Eye” (2008) - “They Live” (1988) - “JFK” (1991) - “The Contender” (2000) - “All the King’s Men” (1949)
#1: “Nineteen Eighty-Four” (1984)
It took an amazing narrative of the worst-case scenario in government to top our list and this adaptation of George Orwell’s “1984” is just the film to do it. The people who live under the thumb of Big Brother not only have to spend their days doing his bidding, but the concept of thought crime personifies the level of control being demanded. A warning of what life can become if the powers of government aren’t checked, there is no film that will make you rethink politics more than this one. Do you agree with our list? What movie’s made you distrust the government? For more intriguing Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.
