226. Free Money; movie review

 

FREE MONEY

Cert PG

78 mins

BBFC advice: Contains mild bad language, drug references, references to violence, sex references

Let's solve world poverty by giving free money to those most in need.

Sounds revolutionary, doesn't it? But an experiment to see if it works is happening across the developing world.

GiveDirectly was set up because of frustration that aid agencies were not spending donations effectively.

Its concept is simple - give people money that covers their basic needs for 12 years and collect evidence of its effect.

Lauren DeFilippo's movie presents interviews with its founder and explains the reasoning behind giving the poor the freedom to create a new life.

It also follows a handful of recipients from a Kenyan village to see whether they had spent their money wisely and if it had improved their lives.

It also addresses a young woman who missed out on an allocation because of eligibility and another from a neighbouring village excluded simply because of geography.

The trial runs until 2031 but the initial responses are very interesting because people had not realised that free money comes with responsibility.

Meanwhile, DeFilippo discovers there have been very different results for those who have been featured so far.

Ultimately, while it is accepted that GiveDirectly's founders have the best intentions, the question still remains whether they can have close enough monitoring of how the cash is distributed.

And then, as a journalist asks: "Who are they to play God, anyway?"

Regardless, it is a most interesting documentary.

Reasons to watch: Boundary-pushing project

Reasons to avoid: Could have dug a bit deeper

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 7/10

Did you know? In 2023, an investigation revealed that, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, employees of GiveDirectly had diverted at least $900,000 from several hundred intended recipients to themselves.

The final word. Lauren DeFilippo: "When you talk to people in the village who are receiving the money, they say that it’s been hugely transformative... As sceptical as we both were going in, we saw the effects and people’s lives being changed.” Deadline

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