Film Review: This Changes Everything

This Changes Everything

This changes Everything is a documentary inspired by Naomi's Klein's 2014 novel also called This Changes Everything. Naomi Klein is a journalist and filmmaker advocating for the urgency of implementing climate change solutions such as renewable energy. This documentary provides a succinct overview of climate injustice, recognizing that climate change is already affecting everyone, but is particularly ravaging vulnerable communities which rely on their land for their livelihood. The documentary itself was released in 2015, which was just before the Trump era when people had more hope for climate justice. I wonder what this documentary would look like if it were made in 2019...

I knew this title sounded familiar when I heard it mentioned in class, but it wasn't until I started watching that I remember this film from my Environmental Sociology class. While watching, I was reminded that this documentary really pulls at the heart strings and definitely makes an appeal to the viewers' emotions. It shows real people affected by climate injustice and how it detriments their livelihood, which, as a viewer, is hard to ignore. In my opinion, this emotional appeal is a call to action for renewable energy and green jobs. Klein suggests that while the state of the climate is depressing, it also shows many successes of activism. To someone like me, who is very disheartened with the direction of climate change, these successes remind me that there is hope for the climate provided communities work together in solidarity to advocate for their land.

To me, this documentary is an effective call to action, but other viewers might not find it quite as inspiring as me. The film discusses how many people profit financially from the degradation of the planet, which, in my opinion, is why many people deny climate change despite the overwhelming evidence. To an audience of oil company execs, this documentary might feel much more like a personal attack.

In my opinion, this film is aimed at people who do not understand the big picture when it comes to climate change. Most people who believe in climate change understand that basic practices like recycling, conserving water, and eating less meat can lower someone's footprint, but lack an understanding of how climate disaster disproportionately effects vulnerable communities such as indigenous peoples, people of color, poor people, and any community which relies directly on their land for livelihood. Many people think climate change is a future problem, but many communities are already being destroyed by climate injustice, and, consequently, climate disasters.