Review: Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers presents an interesting argument, but unfortunately fails to deliver on the details. Like most of director Robert Greenwald’s films, he presents a rather interesting question on a rather heated/debated topic, but unfortunately relies to heavily on witness accounts to prove his point. While testimonials make great tv, they aren’t going to persuade anyone. In other words, if you have problems with the Iraq war, you’ll love this film and probably call it insightful, but if you are still one of the few who see the war as having only a few mistakes, then you will probably easily dismiss this argument with all the others. Don’t buy the summary that this film uses financial records and classified documents to uncover a major scam, because it doesn’t, it uses the news reports that uncovered the classified documents. It’s a degree of separation that should not be ignored and, if anything, weakens then overall argument. It’s unfortunate too, because Greenwald makes his films on subjects that people really should be focused on, it’s just that he doesn’t approach them as a skeptic- which is the only way to develop a truly powerful and convincing argument. Greenwald also makes very powerful statements and then moves on, never letting them settle. His film implies President Bush really didn’t understand the negative impact of using private contractors, it also suggests that the U.S. could have recruited and hired Iraqis to handle the jobs of private contractors for cheaper and to help the Iraqi people get back on their feet. Yet, the film never follows up on those statements. It never follows up on critiques of laundry service, water treatment and mold problems facing the soldiers. All these subjects scream out for further investigation (even further interviews), but Greenwald drops the ball. Many might be surprised of my negative view of Greenwald’s film, especially in light of more positive ratings on other film sites, but I use No End in Sight as my benchmark for all Iraq War documentaries and where Charles Ferguson’s film develops a strong argument, Iraq For Sale tends to slip into loud pulpit lecturing that convinces the choir rather than the people in the congregation. Review by Matthew Abshire Informative: 2- good ideas aren’t always backed up by solid evidence Entertainment: 3- hard to make a film about Iraq “entertaining” and the lame “everything COULD be better” ending seemed like a disgusting cop out Technical: 2- Greenwald needs to learn how to let his films breath, his points would have a greater impact if they weren’t battered around like ping pong balls Overall: 2.5- probably too harsh a score, but I’m tired of Iraq War documentaries that add little to the discussion
 
Format: DVD Year: 2006 Running Time: 75 Min Distributor: Brave New Films Producer: Robert Greenwald, Jim Gilliam, Devin Smith and Sarah Feeley Director: Robert Greenwald Date Reviewed: 6-6-2008 Story: Private contractors are getting rich while everybody else is suffering: This is the point director Robert Greenwald makes -- passionately -- in this 2006 documentary. Using whistleblower testimony, firsthand accounts, financial records and classified documents, Greenwald levels charges of greed, corruption and incompetence against private contractors and shows the subsequent devastating effect on Americans and Iraqis (NetFlix).