As I discussed in my previous film review, documentaries are hard for me to evaluate. This one in particular was even more difficult due to its relatively short length. It’s Basic is only about an hour and ten minutes but certainly makes decent use of the runtime. The film was directed by Mark Levin and published by Blowback Productions.

The story of It’s Basic follows a series of families living at and below the poverty line. During the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic, these families were entered into a pilot program sponsored by the Federal government. Participants were given $500 each month to use however they saw fit, though the hope was to provide aid for basic needs.

Over the course of the runtime, we find that this program seems to have been an overwhelming success. The families make use of the money for exactly its intended purpose. A few are even to utilize the passive income to jumpstart career advancements or improve living conditions.

Now, $500 isn’t a lot within today’s current economic environment, but to people who don’t have much already, it’s $500 more than they would have brought in that month.  I enjoyed seeing how everyone was able to make use of these funds and I think It’s Basic will certainly incite some more discussion over economic aid in America. I also appreciated the interviews with elected officials who made the program possible. Seeing their passion for helping the community and creating real change gives me some hope for the future.

Poverty at its core is a simple issue, and so it’s no surprise to see some of the best solutions are equally as simple. However, this program still has a few issues that become apparent in the final moments. It becomes clear that some families place too much faith in this consistent income. When the program comes to a close one family is arguably in a worse living situation as they depended too much on the government funds.

Even considering the factor that both parents continued to work during the program, the fact remains that they depended extensively on the income rather than using it as supplemental funds. This is the major reason that opposition to basic income still exists. Although it seems misguided, the main counterargument is that people will grow complacent and misuse government funds.  In my opinion, this argument is rather weak, but I could see supporters using this specific scenario from the film to refute its overall positive data.

In terms of the overall negative aspects of It’s Basic, I don’t have much. I suppose it could have benefitted from a longer runtime and the cinematography and music are relatively unexciting. I would have liked to see more of the aftermath of this program. Is the threshold for basic income currently expanding? Are the elected officials showcased in the film continuing to make headway in making the program permanent? How are these families doing months after the program ends?

These are questions I wish could have been answered with a longer runtime, but what is here does the job of getting the key messages across for the most part.

If you are looking for a film that will teach you more about the current economic environment in America I think this is a good place to start. Though I feel It’s Basic could be more comprehensive, what is here is certainly interesting enough to incite some constructive discussions in a classroom or help inform your future votes for elected officials in your local area.

An advanced screening of It’s Basic was provided by Blowback Productions for the purposes of this review.

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It's Basic

7

Score

7.0/10

Pros

• Basic income is an intriguing concept
• Overall well produced
• Hopeful message

Cons

• Could have been more comprehensive