Parents' Guide to

Citizenfour

By Brian Costello, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Bold docu explores Edward Snowden's controversial actions.

Movie R 2014 114 minutes
Citizenfour Poster Image

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age 14+

Based on 2 parent reviews

doctora
doctora Parent of 5-year-old
June 12, 2022
age 16+

A film filming history

An excellent film. A bit slow at times, but that also helps portray what waiting feels like. A film filming history in real time under the skilled eyes and hands of Poitras. Incredible for its presence and its composition and of course its content. It's rare to say a film has changed the world. But indeed the world has been changed by Snowden's revelations and the key roles that Greenwald and Poitras played in those revelations. Interesting, thoughtful, and powerful.
1 person found this helpful.
aatikai
aatikai Adult
January 30, 2018
age 12+

luvlyy

Definitly a great documentry to show to your 10-14 year olds. it will teach them a good moral of the story. Enjoy!

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
1 person found this helpful.
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Documentary filmmaker Laura Poitras is contacted through encrypted email by someone who goes by "Citizenfour." "Citizenfour" claims to have evidence of extensive and illegal surveillance conducted by the NSA, working with intelligence agencies around the world. Poitras, along with investigative journalists Glenn Greenwald and Ewan MacAskill, agree to meet with "Citizenfour" in a Hong Kong hotel room. "Citizenfour" is one Edward Snowden, an employee for an NSA contractor who provides them with hundreds of pages of classified NSA documents detailing "the greatest weapon of oppression in the history of man." This documentary chronicles the days before, during, and after Snowden's revelations become the world's top news story. It also shows the extent to which the U.S. and other governments seek to punish Snowden, Poitras, and Greenwald for their shocking revelations.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (2):

For those who followed these events on the news, this documentary reveals nothing new, but what we do see is Snowden himself. He remains a secret as long as he possibly can in the hopes that the story itself will be covered rather than the focus being on the media's obsession with "celebrity." He has deep convictions and well-thought-out reasons for what he did, and he's well-aware of the consequences.

Whether you agree or disagree with Edward Snowden's actions, the overall portrait that emerges in CITIZENFOUR is of an American citizen willing to give up his normal and successful life in the interests of fighting what he calls "the greatest weapon for oppression in the history of man." The moments of tension and paranoia are heightened through the moments of banality: a man sitting in a Hong Kong hotel room combing his hair or working on his computer while music videos play on TV, all in the immediate moments before, during, and after his revelations shock the world.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the style of this documentary. How is information presented? How is Edward Snowden portrayed? How about the filmmaker herself, journalist Glenn Greenwald, and whistleblower William Binney?

  • How would this documentary be different had it been made by someone who believed Edward Snowden is a traitor whose actions jeopardized the safety and security of his own country?

  • How does the scene in which the Occupy Wall Street speaker explains how something as ordinary as a subway fare card can be used by the government to monitor its citizenry provide a context for the NSA's extensive access to so much information?

  • How important is privacy to you?

Movie Details

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