'POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold' Review.
04/21/2011
by
Steve Ramos Source: MovieJungle.com
Movie review of 'The Greatest Movie Ever Sold.' Morgan Spurlock is hilarious in product placement expose.
'Greatest Movie Ever Sold' shows hilarious side to product placement thanks to Morgan Spurlock.
 Turn on the TV and chances are you'll see endless commercials promoting the tie-in brands related to Hollywood blockbusters. (Did you know Acura was the official car for Thor?). Inspired by the top-to-bottom product placement throughout Iron Man, documentary filmmaker and good-natured rabble-rouser Morgan Spurlock takes the dry, marketing practice of product placement and makes it laugh-out-loud hilarious. The result is his third documentary feature, POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, one of the funniest looks at the entertainment industry in a long time.
With a camera crew constantly at his side, Spurlock takes meetings with marketing firms and business execs as he persuades them to sponsor his "docbuster" by placing their various products - from Mane 'n Tail shampoo to POM Pomegranate juice - throughout his film. Asked by one businessman if there's a story to the movie, Spurlock flashes a mischievous grin. The Greatest Movie Ever Sold is essentially a movie about making the movie.
After premiering at Sundance and SXSW, Spurlock bounces back after the disappointing Where In The World is Osama Bin Laden, about traveling throughout the Middle East in search of the Al Qaeda leader, and delivers his best film to date.
Editors Thomas M. Vogt and Marrian Cho keep the movie moving swiftly at a fun and fast pace. Cameraman Daniel Marracino stays close to Spurlock and brings the movie an insider's perspective as Spurlock bounces from one ad agency meeting room to another.
In front of the camera as much as he's behind the camera, Greatest Movie Ever Sold owes every laugh to Spurlock who proves to be one of the funniest provocateurs around, a wonderful combination of the comic vet and Daily Show host Jon Stewart and fellow documentary director Michael Moore.
In one of the movie's funniest scenes, Spurlock interviews consumer advocate and former presidential candidate Ralph Nader about the invasive nature of advertising. Nader questions Spurlock about retaining his integrity in a sea of product placement but the playful filmmaker responds with a free pair of Merrell shoes.
 Granted, some film buffs may approach Greatest Movie Ever Sold as something of a sell-out and a slap to the independent spirit of documentaries. Unlike his debut feature Super-Size Me, which had something serious to say about the health risks of eating too much fast food, Spurlock approaches Greatest Movie Ever Sold with the purpose of having fun at the expense of the various companies willing to sponsor his movie and join the ride.
The Greatest Movie Ever Sold is too silly to be considered some sort of expose, which is a good thing.
Spurlock is having a great time learning the ins and outs of the product placement biz and for his hard work and tireless efforts we have the hilarious POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold. The movie's so funny, I think I will go out and buy a POM Wonderful. However, I have no plans of buying an Acura after watching Thor.
Movie details, images, trailers and clips:
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Cast: Morgan Spurlock, Stan Sheetz,
Director: Morgan Spurlock
Writer: Morgan Spurlock and Jeremy Chilnick
Cinematographer: Daniel Marracino
Producers: Warrior Poets and Snoot Entertainment and Stage 6 Films
Music: Jon Spurney
Editor: Thomas M. Vogt and Marrian Cho
Rating: Rated PG-13
Running time: 90 mins.
Release Date: April 22, 2011
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