Riotsville, U.S.A.

Name: Riotsville, U.S.A.
Genre: Documentary
Released: September 16, 2022
Duration: 91 min
Rating: 82
Cast: Charlene Modeste

2022

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Universal acclaim based on 18 Critic Reviews

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Mixed or average reviews based on 5 Ratings

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Riotsville, U.S.A.

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Movie Details & Credits

Magnolia Pictures | Release Date: September 16, 2022 | Not Rated

Starring: Charlene Modeste

Summary: Focusing on unearthed military training footage of Army-built model towns called Riotsvilles, where military and police were trained to respond to civil disorder in the aftermath of the Kerner Commission created by President Lyndon B. Johnson, director Sierra Pettengill’s kaleidoscopic all-archival documentary reconstructs the formation ofFocusing on unearthed military training footage of Army-built model towns called Riotsvilles, where military and police were trained to respond to civil disorder in the aftermath of the Kerner Commission created by President Lyndon B. Johnson, director Sierra Pettengill’s kaleidoscopic all-archival documentary reconstructs the formation of a national consciousness obsessed with maintaining law and order by any means necessary. Drawing insight from a time similar to our own, Riotsville, U.S.A. pulls focus on American institutional control and offers a compelling case that if the history of race in America rhymes, it is by design.… Expand

Director: Sierra Pettengill

Genre(s): Documentary

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 91 min

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Critic Reviews

The Film Stage Shayna Warner

Aug 25, 2022

Guided by stark intertitles and a poetic narration written by scholar Tobi Haslett, the film takes a micro and macro view of the ‘60s as a flashpoint for blatant disregard of American––especially impoverished Black American––social needs. Read full review

Glenn Kenny

Sep 15, 2022

This is not an objective film. It is a polemic, a work of activism, a challenge to the viewer. Read full review

Alissa Wilkinson

Sep 30, 2022

The film shows the birth of the militarization of police in America. Read full review

Ronda Racha Penrice

Sep 15, 2022

In bold contrast to the flashier, more emotionally-charged documentaries of late, Riotsville, USA takes an approach more reminiscent of the PBS of old, or even C-SPAN, in the trust it places in the footage to tell the story. Read full review

The Guardian Peter Bradshaw

Mar 29, 2023

A shiver of disquiet runs right through it. Read full review

Tim Grierson

Aug 30, 2022

Although Sierra Pettengill’s film will perhaps be most notable for its inclusion of startling scenes from Riotsvilles, model towns built by the US Army to train for actual riots, there’s much here to consider about the American worship of law enforcement and demonisation of dissent. Read full review

The Playlist Warren Cantrell

Aug 25, 2022

Somewhat ironically, like the social unrest that underpins much of the footage featured in Riotsville, U.S.A., the documentary is well-intentioned yet hampered by a lack of direction, clearly defined goals, and the support of a larger, established apparatus to lend it legitimacy. Read full review

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User Reviews

Brent_Marchant

Feb 1, 2023

It’s unfortunate when a film has an important message to convey but does a poor job of saying what it has to say. That’s the problem with this documentary about the policies and practices underlying government efforts to control violent civil disobedience in major US cities during the mid toIt’s unfortunate when a film has an important message to convey but does a poor job of saying what it has to say. That’s the problem with this documentary about the policies and practices underlying government efforts to control violent civil disobedience in major US cities during the mid to late 1960s. It focuses on the training programs employed at US Army bases where model cities (called “Riotsville”) were built to stage simulated disturbances used for instructing military and police forces on how to quell such outbreaks in line with official government policies. But the film goes beyond that, trying to explain why these incidents were occurring with increasing frequency at the time and why such extensive training measures had become necessary. In doing so, the picture examines the frustrations associated with, and subsequent reactions to, the issues of poverty, racism, police brutality, inequality and the impact of the Vietnam War, among others, principally in minority inner city communities. It tells this story using only archive footage from the time, drawn from television broadcasts and official US military training films. However, given the broad scope of this story, director Sierra Pettengill’s third feature outing doesn’t delve nearly deep enough into these issues, somewhat surprising given the wealth of material at the filmmaker’s disposal. Nor does it tie the Riotsville project to these larger questions as well as it could, relying more on implication than connection. Moreover, this shallow, underdeveloped approach is further undercut by a number of poorly chosen video segments and others in desperate need of editing out extraneous content. Add to that far too many explanatory subtitles and a number of dull, overwritten voiceovers seeking to philosophically elaborate on its conclusions, and you’ve got a watered down presentation of material deserving to be delivered with a greater sense of hard-hitting urgency. This is the sort of film that should make audiences angry, not put them to sleep, but this offering does more to promote the latter than the former. This is a story that would have been better told through more skillful directorial hands for it to have the impact it requires. Unfortunately, that’s not the case here.… Expand

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JackEFlaps

Jul 4, 2023

Boring, too long, and overall obnoxious in it's politics. Footage from the simulated cities was jarring at first, but became monotonous after 15 mins. Narrator was unneeded and consistently off-putting. The documentary applies today's toxic politics like ACAB to broadly paint all figuresBoring, too long, and overall obnoxious in it's politics. Footage from the simulated cities was jarring at first, but became monotonous after 15 mins. Narrator was unneeded and consistently off-putting. The documentary applies today's toxic politics like ACAB to broadly paint all figures and events involved as good/evil. No nuance or differing viewpoints were presented. Throughout anarchy was put forward as a cure-all solution for racism and income inequality. At one point they even made a favorable comparison to terrorists in French Algeria, ignoring the chaos and violence that plagued the country post French rule. Unbelievably those who called for the violent overthrow of American democracy are the heroes here, while moderates and conservatives opposed are villains. It's a bizarre worldview from the filmmakers and an all too common theme for current documentaries covering 20th century events. Very disappointed with this one considering the rich subject material.… Expand

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