Steal This Movie

source: Steal This Movie

Trailer—Steal This Movie

Steal This Movie

First I have to ask, Vincent, what were you going for with that accent, New Yawk, Bahston, Joisey? Sounded like a combination of all but it distracted me from your dialogue. Should have just played Vincent playing Abby. Second, there was a review here that should be removed as the guy that wrote it is so off base I think he saw a different movie. Dude, FYI. it's Jerry Lefcourt. Look into it. Third, Abby was kicked (really he was kicked) off the stage at Woodstock by Townsend during the Who performance. Abby was the type of guy you wanted to kick. He was all about Abby. This film is a romanticism of the truth. Don't steal it; steal Medium Cool instead.

"Steal..." is a journeyman production which tells a skewed version of the Abbie Hoffman story and revisits the domestic turmoil of the Vietnam era. Though in and of itself not a great film, "Steal This Movie" may conjure some nostalgia for those who remember the Yippie days and wet the interest of those who don't. An okay drama not to be confused with historical documentary.

I was prepared not to like this movie, to think that it did a superficial job. As I watched, I remained unconvinced - the lead-up to the Chicago riots, the demonstrations and riots themselves, the Chicago 8-or-7 Trial, these were nothing new, no great storytelling. But when Abbie went underground, and Anita raised their son without him, and Abbie's life took the crazy course it took, that's when this film came alive, and when the characters turned into people. Was the film 100% accurate? I don't know. But I do know that there was life to be had, not just cardboard cutouts of the myths. I was engaged, and I was moved, and I was impressed.

As far as I know, "Steal This Movie" was the first movie that focused on the FBI's persecution of political activists in the '60s. Specifically, it looks at Yippie founder Abbie Hoffman (Vincent D'Onofrio) and his cohorts. As it was, we were very good friends with Stew Albert (who died last year). The movie does a very good job looking at everything, complete with a soundtrack including Jimi Hendrix, Donovan, Phil Ochs, and John Lennon. There are obviously many sources of information about the '60s and everything associated therewith. For more info about the FBI's dirty tricks, there's "A People's History of the United States" and "Lies My Teacher Told Me". Nixon must spin in his grave every time that someone watches this.

"Steal This Movie" was not only an educational film in the sense that shed some light on the activist movement of the 1960s, but also a pleasant surprise regarding the quality of the performances in it. Vince D'Onofrio is amazing as Abbie Hoffman and his acting ability is in full display. Steal this video right away!

I feel compelled to comment about both the movie and the bias in the movie. As someone who studies Abbie Hoffman I thought that the movie stayed pretty true to what Hoffman wrote in his autobiography, the letters that he and Anita shared that were eventually published, and the transcripts of the court testimony of the Chicago Trial. I think that knowing the movie is based on documents written by Abbie himself makes any bias in the movie seem appropriate or at least more acceptable. Also, I would argue that it is helpful to have a portrait of Abbie that is mostly positive, considering all of the trouble the government went to in order to paint him in a bad light to the public. I think Hoffman was an extremely interesting, albeit troubled character, and I think that D'Onofrio portrayed him well.

This was an overall good release but there were numerous flaws. The worst of which was the dumbing down of the characters, especially Abbie Hoffman. It made for good cinema and fit the mainstream's mental picture of Abbie, but was quite misleading. Abbie's last wife, Johanna Lawrenson, was grossly misrepresented as apolitical and little more than a bubble-headed groupie. Both were excellent organizers and people. Talking to both was inspiring. It's sad that a film from a better source misrepresented them. However, that said, the film has value for providing a visual picture of the times and occurrences of Abbie's life. Abbie was one of the most significant of the 60s cast of characters and this film contributes to keeping his legacy alive.