Merchants of Doubt

Movie review by Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media
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Common Sense says

age 13+

Docu raises important questions about media reliability.

PG-13 2015 96 minutes
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age 13+

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

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What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Merchants of Doubt is a documentary about the use of deception and deflection to cast doubt on issues that are scientifically sound. It begins with the tobacco industry -- which long ago convinced people it was OK to smoke -- and moves up to the more current climate crisis. The main content issue is language; in one scene, scientists read some of the angry emails and death threats they've received, which include momentary uses of "f--k" and "s--t." The death threats are also alarming. Otherwise, this is a thought-provoking film for both teens and adults, addressing the idea that not everything presented in the media is entirely true; it's important to recognize that deception exists and that it's possible to see beyond it.

Community Reviews

Mrs. Logan
Mrs. Logan Adult
September 12, 2019
age 13+

Merchants of doubt are dooming the human species to extinction

An excellent critique of advertising techniques and junk science.
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Based on a book by Naomi Oreskes and Erik Conway, the documentary MERCHANTS OF DOUBT begins by looking at big tobacco companies, which, unable to flat-out lie about the dangers of their products, learned techniques of casting doubt. An entire industry -- flame retardants for furniture -- sprung up based on their misinformation. Decades later, the movie argues, these same tactics are being used to combat climate scientists who assert that greenhouse gasses are destroying the planet. Big businesses and right-wing conservatives risk big profit losses and other changes if they agree, so they follow in the tobacco industry's footsteps, using similar tactics to deflect attention away from the core issue. Magician Jamy Ian Swiss also turns up, explaining similarities to the psychological techniques of magic tricks.

Is It Any Good?

Directed by Robert Kenner, of the excellent documentary Food, Inc., MERCHANTS OF DOUBT feels a little scattershot. It's as if it's unsure whether to stay focused on the topic of misdirection or dive directly into the immediate and pressing issue of climate change. When it is on topic, it's quite educational, illustrating just how people are hired for the purpose of misrepresenting data (or presenting false data) and how they cast doubt.

Kenner somehow scored fascinating interviews with some of these "fakers," who usually wouldn't agree to appear in a movie like this. Meanwhile, the featured scientists are less charismatic, if more straightforward in their interviews. (Many are shocked and saddened by this whole phenomenon.) And, as the topic moves over to climate change, the movie becomes more emotional and less analytical. But on the whole, it has a great deal of important information presented in a lively way, and it has the power to get you riled up.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the ways in which the media conveys information. Have you ever been convinced by information that turned out to not be entirely true? How can you tell what's true and what isn't?

  • Does Merchants of Doubt make you believe that the climate crisis exists? Doesn't exist? What information is given on the subject?

  • Is it easier to understand the media representation of the climate crisis in perspective to the media representation of tobacco? The perception of tobacco has changed a lot over the years. Is it possible that the perception of the climate crisis will, too?

  • What's the difference between lying and casting doubt, or deflecting attention?

Movie Details

  • In theaters: March 6, 2015
  • On DVD or streaming: July 7, 2015
  • Director: Robert Kenner
  • Studio: Sony Pictures Classics
  • Genre: Documentary
  • Run time: 96 minutes
  • MPAA rating: PG-13
  • MPAA explanation: brief strong language
  • Last updated: April 1, 2022

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