Parents' Guide to

Making a Killing: Guns, Greed and the NRA

By Renee Longstreet, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Docu advocates for gun control; tragedy, violence, grief.

Movie NR 2016 103 minutes
Making a Killing: Guns, Greed and the NRA Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

Earnest, passionately one-sided argument for gun control uses personal tragedy, statistics, and political observation to inspire audiences to action; it's a slick effort but lacks new insights. What Robert Greenwald does make clear in Making a Killing: Guns, Greed and the NRA is the influence of gun manufacturers in positions taken by the NRA. While a large majority of its citizen-members urge legislation for background checks, for example, the organization is a staunch opponent of such measures because of the impact on the companies who are the NRA's major funders. Even sane controls like requiring safe storage of weapons and encouraging research into Smart Gun Technology are seen as assaults on "2nd Amendment rights." Greenwald is a seasoned filmmaker, and occasionally his "artistry" gets in the way of his message. It was distracting to watch appalling statistics written on spinning popcorn boxes and fried chicken buckets as he relayed the story of the victims and perpetrator of the killings in the Aurora, Colorado movie theater. Still, his heartfelt, informative efforts can't be dismissed. Will he sway the anti-gun control crowd's entrenched opposition? Not likely. As in many politically-motivated documentaries, it's mostly an exercise in "preaching to the converted." Those are the ones who will want to see it. Mature kids only.

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.

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