"Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things" - A Critical Review
Initial release: 2016 in United States of America
Director and editor: Matt D'Avella
Executive producers: Matt D'Avella, Ryan Nicodemus, Joshua Fields Millburn, Jeff Sarris, Dave Latulippe, Marla Sarris
Producers: Matt D'Avella, Ryan Nicodemus, Joshua Fields Millburn
Cast: Ryan Nicodemus, Joshua Fields Millburn
Summary of the documentary
Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things is a documentary based on a specific lifestyle, living with the essentials. This is a 78-minute documentary in which minimalism is analyzed and seen from the perspective of people who have taken their life through this movement. The film starts with the story of Ryan Nicodemus and his friend Joshua Fields Millburn’s lifestyle and how their life took a life-changing path thanks to minimalism. The film follows Nicodemus and Millburn on their journey across the United States of America after publishing a book. They read, speak, and hug people along the way. While Millburn and Nicodemus are the film’s main story, the documentary features other people who are seeking as well, meaning in life through simplicity. These include scientists, economists, and architects who study and question the psychological reasons for human obsession over consumption of material things that are not needed and how people get spaces bigger than what they can really use, need and even get. Also, a journalist who deals with stress through meditation; a world traveler who carries everything on his backpack; people who write about clutter-free living, minimalistic parenting, and Courtney Carver with her Project 333. As well, it addresses how advertisement bombarding is affecting kids' development in society and interpersonal relationships and how consumption may be affecting nature without people really carrying about.
Critical Review
“Love people, use things. Because the opposite never works” - Joshua Fields Millburn
This was a phrase shared by one of the cast members of the 78-minute documentary Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things while been followed through a book tour around The United States of America on his, and his friend – Ryan Nicodemus’ book. Either to buy/read their book or to become a minimalist, the director, and editor of the documentary Matt D'Avella portrays several implications of how uncontrolled consumerism is affecting negatively people’s life.
The producers of this film use different strategies to support their ideas on how minimalism may be a solution to overcome a tiring, materialistic and senseless/empty life. They share details of the life of both writers, Ryan Nicodemus and Joshua Fields Millburn, and how certain life events change their perception of how life should be lived. This documentary is intended to be for those seeking a life change experience that may help them discover or rediscover happiness in life.
On one hand, the aim of the documentary seems to be to inform people over the implications of over-consumption on daily bases and how it has affected people emotionally, psychologically, personally and even professionally. We have become compulsive consumers of materials things expecting them to make us feel happiness and completeness. The clips of the intervention of some sociologists, architects, economists and even journalists and writers commenting on the issue work as evidence to reinforce this idea of uncontrolled consumption leading to an empty and materialistic life.
On the other hand, if you analyze further and go deeper into the matter, the documentary seems to be an excuse to advertise a book about being minimalist. Lacking important details as facts, percentages of people being really affected by life events and the recession lived in 2007-2008 worldwide.
I consider this is a documentary for consumers so they can become conscious of their consumption. It misses the objective of getting people into minimalism since it is shown as a possibility apparently only people with high income can take. It does not seem like a possibility for those who are facing economic difficulties and are not into adventurous paths. Besides, it is losing a vital aspect, human connection.
Are there any adds to buy happiness?
There are no secrets when referring to people’s lifestyle nowadays. Many people are living the day as if there were nothing else to live for, it has become tiring, stressful and full of depts and expectations that seem to be impossible to get or fulfill. People are getting bigger loans to “buy” things they cannot afford to live a life they are not even proud of, happy or interested to live on. The documentary addresses this topic of consumption and how it has made people go “nuts” over material things that can be easily replaced day by day by showing videos and pictures at stores. Events such as Christmas and Black Friday make people forget they are human beings and make them be just one more consumer to sell things to. But, do media and advertisement are the ones to blame? are big corporations guilty for people's madness over consumption? Are all those bought and advertised products separating people from their realities and making them be apart from their loved ones? Certainly, people are being bombarded by publicity and products since day 1 of birth. People are being told that their comfort and happiness depends on the things – tangible – the owner, but it depends on every person how they want to really address those ads.
The ads and companies only feed you as a consumer and provide you stuff based on what they know you may want. The argument here is that most of the people, if not all, are pursuing happiness, happiness based on what is seen and perceived. Large companies know about it, they will strategically offer their products with a huge smile on their faces as if they were too, enjoying life. People want happiness, which they believe they will get buy acquiring stuff, companies just supply the need people already have by creating artificial happiness.
The idea of living a clutter-free life and spending only on very necessary things seems to be incredibly great, especially after paying $20 on the website to watch the documentary, paying $5 a month for watching movies from your sofa or bed or buying a book that will probably end up in your dusty shelve. It may make us feel uncomfortable at first, especially if you think about your life as a messy and yet meaningless journey through life. But, what do advertisements have to do with life-meaning and happiness? Well, if you watch the film, you may be already getting it. The movie portrays minimalists as happy people full of energy, adventurous, entrepreneurs and self-confident who got their life solved by the age of 30. Just like the writers of the book they are advertising through the documentary. They seem to know exactly what they want to be and have in their life… which may be easier if you have already worked on your field of study for a while, build a career, earn enough money to have a backup plan, sell all your stuff and move on with your new book and try new things. They even mention that that will be the exact argument somebody will give you if you try to become minimalist.
If you compare it to an advertisement, this will definitely match with one of those in which people enjoy their life while eating a lettuce salad surrounded by friends at a paradisiac island – but you first need to buy x, y, and z to get there. This film seems to provide the idea that people will be happy if they just sort of throw away their belongings and wander the earth. But that potential for "flamboyant" escape is really out of reach for the average person who is struggling with poverty or if they have kids or any other type of responsibility. These people are often indeed living a minimalist life, but for the sole reason that they cannot afford any other way.
Conclusion
Even with its "ups and downs" and empty spaces in between I totally agree with the idea of seeking for happiness on the moments and experiences you have, not on the material things you own. This documentary and similar films on the same topic should be shared with others, not to convert people into any specific movement, but to start opening eyes over serious, real, and soul-touching issues. Share with people, make connections, accept the responsibility of your actions and find meaning in your relationships, in your family life, in the place you live and through your work, through the wisdom you pass, through the kindness you show. As advertisements, this biopic is showing us the product, but missing the real content, the one that requires sacrifice and a mindset change. As simple as “throwing away” what you do not need but keeping the out-of-context idea that “it is ok to keep that collection of unnecessary things because they mean a lot for you”. The simple act of disposing of the things one does not need is not going to solve the problems one may be facing unless one focuses on the connections to the world surrounding. That is what actually makes one happy. It is true, materialism is around the corner trying to get us all, but it depends on every individual to make a change starting with his/her own self.
I support their idea of being minimalist, the idea behind the film, and after watching the documentary I will definitely invite anyone to read more about this incredible movement by other authors. This documentary was just a glimpse on what this movement can really make over people’s life because it is not as simple as getting rid of material things, but to get rid of those things – tangible or not – that are making you feel miserable. It is about freeing your life so you can actually live with less… worries, stress, anxiety, etc (as mention by the cast members of the film).
I leave you with a very famous quote by Jim Carrey shared as well on the documentary.
Review by Wendoly Zúñiga Esquivel for the Critical Writing Course LLI415
Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica
August, 2018
Please feel free to leave your comments on the documentary, the review, my opinions and other related topics. :)
Please feel free to leave your comments on the documentary, the review, my opinions and other related topics. :)
