Directed by Carl Deal and Tia Lessin, New York-based independent investigative journalist Amy Goodman has been reporting from hotspots around the world for decades: from East Timor to Morocco, Nigeria, and Gaza, and closer to home during 9/11 and the Iraq War. Goodman and a small group of colleagues present the daily online, TV, and radio news program Democracy Now!, which has been on the air since 1996 with no government funding, thanks to contributions from donors, foundations, and news consumers.
The choice of opening footage from Carl Deal and Tia Lessin was absolutely perfect. If you were unaware of who Amy Goodman was, it’s a fantastic introduction, and even if you knew absolutely everything about her, it’s still such a great moment. It immediately captures her determination, refusal to give up, and how she always has the right questions at her fingertips. That clip alone encapsulates her tenacity then the rest of Steal This Story, Please! pays a strong homage to it.
Quickly and consistently throughout Steal This Story, Please! Deal and Lessin do a brilliant job of instilling Goodman’s personality and vibrancy into the documentary. The energy that it holds is infectious, which does so well to match the passion of Goodman. It’s really no surprise that the film has so much to work with when you have as interesting of a subject as Goodman, who has an unlimited number of stories to tell and has covered so many key conflicts for decades.
Of course, a key element that Steal This Story, Please! highlights is right there in the title, it’s bringing national media attention to injustices that have otherwise gone under the radar of the mainstream. As well as highlighting how that requires such a fierce commitment, often at the risk of her own safety, and sincere courage. It’s fascinating to watch Goodman get so many iconic interviews simply by being unafraid to ask questions, while countless others shy away due to politeness or some unspoken rule or etiquette. It’s particularly interesting to see Goodman’s coverage of 9/11 and how their team were truly in the thick of it.
Steal This Story, Please! is an emphatic tribute to Amy Goodman. Carl Deal and Tia Lessin not only do a fantastic job of capturing her talent, tenacity and determination but also manage to portray that within the style of the documentary. It’s captivating from start to finish, and it moves with confidence and superb pacing. It also does true justice to Goodman by making incredibly clear the importance of independent journalism, and how the US has possibly never needed it more than they do now.
FilmCarnage.com 