Parents' Guide to

Fahrenheit 11/9

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Moore's subjective, serious docu is cautionary, urgent.

Movie R 2018 130 minutes
Fahrenheit 11/9 Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

See all
age 9+

Based on 6 parent reviews

Edward-o
Edward-o Adult
October 3, 2018
age 18+

Same-Old/Same-Old: EXTENDED Version

I have watched every single one of Moore's past cinematic efforts, & was generally pleased with what he'd accomplished in each of them --- but this latest entry was FAR too long, FAR too dis-jointed, and FAR too unfocused... I thought that, as I settled into my theatre seat, the flick was about Donald Trump, & how he essentially stole the presidency from America --- but that premise lasted for only about 20 - 30 minutes. What followed next was a whole series of criticisms & whistle-blowing against the Democratic party, how Bernie Sanders was robbed of political position in favour of Hillary, the corrupt & plotting governor of Michigan, the Flint water supply, and even ex-president Barrick Obama, himself. Finally, Moore returned --- in the last 20 minutes, or so --- to the "original" anti-Trump tome that he started-out with (oh, and did I tell you...? He pulled-off his atypical & favourite Michael Moore one-trip pony stunt of marching into the Michigan governor's office, visibly carrying a pair of handcuffs...why? "To make a citizen's arrest of the governor"). Quite frankly, this latest effort into cinematic history by Moore --- quite literally --- almost put me to sleep. Time to shift gears, Michael --- you're stuck in neutral.
abqmom
abqmom Adult
September 30, 2018
age 10+

Wake up America and save democracy now!

Michael Moore has once again created a powerful, well researched documentary and this time his message is more important than ever. This is a full on plea to create the democracy we want to see in the world. Young people need to see this movie most of all. And the message is - vote, vote, vote.
See all 6 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In FAHRENHEIT 11/9, filmmaker Michael Moore looks at the night of the 2016 presidential election -- when Donald Trump defied many people's expectations and beat Hillary Clinton -- and asks, "How did this happen?" Moore presents what he argues are Trump's various crimes and manipulations, noting that they've always been committed in plain sight and that his followers don't care. Moore also explores a situation involving Trump's friend, Michigan governor Rick Snyder, who tried to profit by switching the water supply for the residents of Flint, Michigan, to poisonous river water -- and got away with it. Moore identifies parallels between 1930s Germany/the rise of Adolf Hitler and the current situation in the United States. He also follows young, outspoken activists who desperately want changes in gun violence, health care, and other hot issues. But he leaves off with a warning: We aren't as safe as we might think.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (6):
Kids say (3):

Moore's film is a proudly subjective patchwork that scampers in many directions, but it's also by far his most vital, cautionary, and urgent work; it's unmissable. In Fahrenheit 11/9 -- whose title is deliberately intended to echo Moore's (in)famous Fahrenheit 9/11 -- the filmmaker seems calmer and more focused on his thesis than on stunts or humor; he tries one half-hearted stunt but abandons it fairly quickly. He digs deep into the Flint water catastrophe and details the exact way in which Snyder managed to change the balance of power so that he could pull off his scheme. The shocks continue as detail after evil detail are revealed.

All of this is coolly compared with the state of 1930s Germany and the rise of Hitler, with each event outlined as its own somewhat logical step in a scenario that ultimately became terrifying and unthinkable. Trump takes some hits here, but he's not the dead center of Moore's target; as he argues, the America that elected Trump is troubled at its core and is on the way to making more mistakes. The movie's only real ray of hope comes in the form of young, grassroots activists who are speaking out and running for office, trying to set things right. But Moore isn't interested in letting viewers feel hopeful. Wondering whether things haven't already gone too far, Fahrenheit 11/9 ends on a down note, and it feels as if the only response is either to give up or to get mad and do something.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Fahrenheit 11/9's violent images. How much is shown, and how strong is the effect? Do you think they were necessary to the story?

  • What role do rallies, protests, and marches play in the political process? Do you see an increasing trend toward activism today?

  • How do you feel about Moore? Trump? Can you enjoy this film if you don't agree with Moore's politics?

  • Are Moore's documentaries objective or subjective? Why? What do those words mean? Are documentaries required to be one or the other?

Movie Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended movie lists

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate