The Fight (2020)
85%RT Audience Score: 70%
Awards & Nominations: NA
The Fight takes an engaging look at some of the people working on the front lines for the ACLU — and makes a passionate case for the legal battles they wage
The Fight” is a documentary that shows the hard work and dedication of the ACLU in fighting for the rights of citizens. It’s not your typical “eat your vegetables” kind of film, but rather a thrilling and gut-wrenching examination of how these things work. The hand-drawn animations that accompany courtroom audio and the dark sense of humor make it an engaging watch. It’s a call to arms for all of us to join the fight and turn things around. Plus, it’s a great reminder that lawyers can be cool too!
Production Company(ies)
Warner Bros.,
Distributor
Magnolia Pictures
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
TV-14
Year of Release
2020
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Stereo
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Aspect ratio:1.78 : 1
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Runtime:1h 36m
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Language(s):
-
Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jul 31, 2020 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 30, 2020
Genre(s)
Documentary
Keyword(s)
The Fight, ACLU, abortion rights, immigrant rights, LGBTQ rights, voting rights, documentary, PG-13, Elyse Steinberg, Josh Kriegman, Eli B Despres, Eli B Despres, Peggy Drexler, Josh Kriegman, Maya Seidler, Kerry Washington, Brigitte Amiri, Lee Gelernt, Brett Kavanaugh, Chase Strangio, Joshua Block, Jeffery Robinson, reviewed by Christy Lemire, Tim Cogshell, Charlotte O’Sullivan, Zach Long, Steve Pond, Peter Bradshaw, Witney Seibold, Proma Khosla, Vadim Rizov, Steve Erickson, produced by Eli B Despres, Peggy Drexler, Josh Kriegman, Maya Seidler, Elyse Steinberg, Kerry Washington, Magnolia Pictures, box office performance, budget
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
Lee Gelernt – Self
Brett Kavanaugh – Self
Chase Strangio – Self
Joshua Block – Self
Jeffery Robinson – Self
Director(s)
Elyse Steinberg, Josh Kriegman, Eli B. Despres
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
Eli B. Despres, Peggy Drexler, Josh Kriegman, Maya Seidler, Elyse Steinberg, Kerry Washington
Film Festivals
Sundance
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (68) | Top Critics (21) | Fresh (67) | Rotten (1)
Very informative. It’s not an “eat your vegetables” thing at all; it is shot and cut very thrillingly and you really come to care and appreciate the hard work that these folks put in.
August 13, 2020
Christy Lemire
FilmWeek (KPCC – NPR Los Angeles)
TOP CRITIC
It’s a fairly thrilling and gut-wrenching examination of how these things work.
August 13, 2020
Tim Cogshell
FilmWeek (KPCC – NPR Los Angeles)
TOP CRITIC
This is a jubilant and mischievous documentary that suggests changing the world for the better is something we can all do.
July 31, 2020 | Rating: 5/5
Charlotte O’Sullivan
London Evening Standard
TOP CRITIC
Effective stylistic choices, like the hand-drawn animations that accompany courtroom audio, and a dark sense of humour smooth out any rough edges.
July 31, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Zach Long
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
It gives each of the cases enough time to play out and also add up to a rich portrait of a complex organization.
July 31, 2020
Steve Pond
TheWrap
TOP CRITIC
A lively and watchable account of the full-tilt battle being fought by the ACLU…
July 31, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
Overall, this is an engaging documentary that finds the passion in the struggle to fight the rights of citizens.
June 5, 2022 | Rating: 7/10
Josh Parham
Next Best Picture
How hard is the ACLU fighting? This hard.
March 30, 2021
Witney Seibold
Critically Acclaimed Podcast
It’s tough as a viewer to treat every ideology equally when there is a clear faction inflicting or invoking harm… The film mostly avoids reckoning with this, except in the Charlottesville case, which does not give a satisfying conclusion
March 5, 2021
Proma Khosla
Mashable
…what we have is an eminently well-meaning call to arms, with a closing reminder from the subjects that it’s not lawyers but We, the People, who can turn things around.
September 15, 2020
Vadim Rizov
Filmmaker Magazine
Jamming all of this into a brief documentary results in a shallow montage of soundbites.
September 3, 2020
Steve Erickson
Nashville Scene
It’s a solid film if you care to see the inner workings of the ACLU.
August 18, 2020 | Rating: B+
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews…
Plot
Based on a true story, California Love takes place in 1992 Los Angeles. Joanne Beck (Christa B. Allen) is a young, aspiring entrepreneur whose idealistic outlook suffers a blow when she experiences sexism in the workplace. Looking for a change, Joanne volunteers at community leader Leon Watkins’ (Allen Payne) help center in South Central. Meanwhile, reputed gang member Jay Hunter (Robert Ri’chard), back on the streets following a bid in prison, is nearly killed in a drive-by shooting. When Jay comes to Leon for a loan, he meets Joanne, and their fate is set in motion. The unlikely duo defies social constructs and forms an organization that gains national recognition in the fight against racial injustice. Along the way, they experience love, tragedy, and the deep-seated racism that continues to plague America, ultimately leaving behind a legacy that is as relevant today as ever before.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The Fight features appearances from prominent figures such as Brett Kavanaugh and Chase Strangio.
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