Film Review

I watched the documentary, Take Your Pills, which is about the growing epidemic of ADD and ADHD medication abuse. I personally thought the documentary was complete and utter bullshit and was really quite disappointed with it. The review that I chose to focus on, written by Christopher Campbell, agreed with me. Campbell rips apart the film seemingly taking every point made in the film and proving it wrong with additional support. He even went as far as to say, “In my case, it made me extremely angry,” (Campbell 1). The film focusses all on the abuse of the drug but as Campbell points out, “Well, for anyone without proper information on the drugs, the cost can be the same as any substance abused out of ignorance,” (Campbell 1). Adderall is a prescription drug and like any prescription drug there’s consequences, abusers and other issues. However, the documentary completely disregards and discredits the amount of people clinically diagnosed with ADD and ADHD. Some people rely on this medication, because that’s what it is, a medication. There are people who abuse every medication and this portrayal just focuses on every bad thing about it.

            In terms of rules or guidelines for the genre (documentary) I would say that a documentary needs to have facts as well as support. Along with that its necessary to pose the opposite side of your story. This film lacked that and it was sad because it made it less strong. More people would trust it if it showed all sides not just their opinion.

Review link:

https://www.thrillist.com/entertainment/nation/take-your-pills-netflix-documentary-review