Boom, Bust, Boom Review: Smart

Documentaries have the ability to shed light on an issue and in doing so give the audience a new outlook on said issue, that is, if it is effective and “Boom, Bust, Boom” is.

Directed and narrated by Terry Jones of Monty Python who shares directing duties with his son, Bill Jones and Ben Timlett, “Boom Bust Boom” is an enlightening documentary that revels in the satirical nature of the world’s economic system as they investigate the 2008 economic crash.

Delivering its message through puppets, song and animation lend itself to one its core ideas, which is that humans are gonna human. No matter how many times we like to tell ourselves we are smarter than generations past, we aren’t. And through what would seem as a not-so-serious look at a very serious issue, the filmmakers are able to crystalize why financial crisis occur.

The film does an excellent job of including various advocates and financial experts, but one point of contention would be not featuring victims of what was a devastating crisis. This does not take away from the delivery of the message being that the way the film is structured in a way to show just how ridiculous the way world’s economy operates.

There is a balancing act when you take this comedy approach to a crisis of the magnitude of the 2008 economic crash and the filmmakers do an exceptional job of using history as a basis for their thesis, something educators and people in the financial world fail to consider when they think crashes are an impossibility and de-regulation are the way to go.

“Boom Bust Boom’s” unique approach to the economic crisis works so well because it is not bogged down by the financial jargon that plagues films and books tackling the similar subject matter. The material is presented in a digestible, concise manner that does not take away from what the film is saying.

The film leaves one inspired to jump to action, and by a jump to action, it is not meant to say protest – but, it makes you want to further educate yourself about finance and look at everything with a critical mind.

“Boom Bust Boom” is far from a bust and goes down the checklist of what you want to see in a documentary especially one about something as topical as the 2008 economic crash.

“Boom Bust Boom” is now playing at the Village East Cinema in New York City and on iTunes and On Demand.