Knock Down the House (2019)
55%RT Audience Score: 11%
Awards & Nominations: 6 wins & 13 nominations
A galvanizing glimpse behind the scenes of a pivotal election, Knock Down the House should prove engrossing for viewers of all political persuasions
Knock Down the House is the perfect movie for anyone who wants to see some badass women take on the political establishment. It’s like watching a superhero movie, but instead of capes and superpowers, these women have passion and determination. You’ll be cheering them on from start to finish, and by the end, you’ll be ready to run for office yourself. So grab some popcorn, sit back, and get ready to be inspired.
Production Company(ies)
Focus Features, Tohokushinsha Film Corporation, American Zoetrope
Distributor
Netflix
Release Type
Streaming, Streaming (Netflix), Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG for thematic elements, language and brief smoking.
Year of Release
2019
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 26m
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Language(s):
-
Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): May 1, 2019 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 1, 2019
Genre(s)
Documentary
Keyword(s)
Knock Down the House, PG, Documentary, Rachel Lears, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Robin Blotnick, Sarah Olson, Netflix, political, election, insurgent candidates, Congress, women in politics, underdog story, hard work, determination, feminism, Rocky movie, inspiring, retail politics, Democrats, coal miner’s daughter, grieving mother, registered nurse, Bronx, West Virginia, Nevada, Missouri, brief smoking, thematic elements, language, directed by Rachel Lears, written by Rachel Lears and Robin Blotnick, produced by Rachel Lears, Robin Blotnick, Sarah Olson, reviewed by Alessa Dominguez, Gary Thompson, Peter Keough, Donald Clarke, Jordan Hoffman, Alastair McKay, Gem Seddon, Brett Michael Dykes, Yasmin Omar, Film Companion Staff, CJ Sheu
Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Rachel Lears – Director, Writer, Producer
Robin Blotnick – Writer, Producer
Director(s)
Rachel Lears
Writer(s)
Rachel Lears, Robin Blotnick
Producer(s)
Rachel Lears, Robin Blotnick, Sarah Olson
Film Festivals
Sundance, South by Southwest
Awards & Nominations
6 wins & 13 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (107) | Top Critics (32) | Fresh (106) | Rotten (1)
Still, it’s a reminder of how rare it is to get a clear, sustained look at any women in politics, and a credit to the film’s unique perspective and fascinating protagonists, that it leaves you wanting more, not less…
April 5, 2022
Alessa Dominguez
BuzzFeed News
TOP CRITIC
They’re Democrats, but the movie should be inspiring to anyone who wishes to see firsthand the immeasurable value of good retail politics and hard work.
December 10, 2019 | Rating: 3/4
Gary Thompson
Philadelphia Inquirer
TOP CRITIC
Regardless of one’s partisan leanings, it’s hard to resist the dramatic momentum of these intertwined narratives.
December 10, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/4
Peter Keough
Boston Globe
TOP CRITIC
It’s a friendly record of an extraordinary moment.
December 10, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Donald Clarke
Irish Times
TOP CRITIC
Everyone likes an underdog story, and when the underdog is as eloquent, passionate and righteous as these four women are, the final reels of this film feel like a Rocky movie.
December 10, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Jordan Hoffman
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
In the end, Lears finds the hope that she is looking for. It’s hard to resist a candidate who is so fresh, so new, so perfectly now.
May 6, 2019
Alastair McKay
London Evening Standard
TOP CRITIC
During a time when politics has become more than just a dirty word, Knock Down the House has the potential to make you believe in government again.
February 3, 2022
Gem Seddon
SFX Magazine
It’s a feel-good story from Capitol Hill and really, we need more of that.
December 29, 2021
Brett Michael Dykes
Uproxx
Knock Down the House is a showcase of fist-pumping feminism, a shining example of what hard work and determination can achieve.
June 25, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Yasmin Omar
Town & Country (UK)
…one of the greatest political underdog stories seen on screen.
October 27, 2020
Film Companion Staff
Film Companion
If only the film had expanded this focus [on AOC] to include the nexus of all four women.
June 30, 2020
CJ Sheu
Critics at Large
Robin Blotnick’s editing bobs and weaves between their personal and professional lives, refusing to stuff them into any gendered, ethnic, or social boxes.
January 17, 2020
Matt Cipolla
The Spool…
Plot
Knock Down the House follows the stories of four women who build a movement of insurgent candidates to challenge powerful incumbents in Congress, leading to one of the most shocking political upsets in recent American history.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The film features Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who would go on to become a prominent figure in American politics.
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