Idiocracy (2007)
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The story
In 2005, U.S. Army librarian Corporal Joe Bauers is selected for a one-year suspended animation experiment. His companion, a woman named Rita, is also placed in hibernation. They awaken five hundred years later to find a world that has devolved into a dystopian, anti-intellectual society. Joe finds himself in a land where technology is advanced but driven by garish commercialism, and the population has become profoundly anti-intellectual. Believing he is hallucinating, Joe must navigate a world where he is the only one who understands the basic mechanics of the past, eventually finding himself thrust into a position of unexpected influence in a society that has lost its way.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 2005, Joe Bauers, a 'most average' soldier, and Rita, a prostitute, are put into suspended animation. They wake up in 2505 to find a society that has devolved into a state of extreme anti-intellectualism and overconsumption. Joe is initially arrested but eventually becomes the Secretary of the Interior because he is the only person who can pass a basic IQ test. He is tasked with fixing the nation's food shortages and economy. He discovers that the soil is ruined because it is being irrigated with Brawndo, a soda. He replaces the soda with water, causing a massive shift in the economy and public reaction. After surviving a trial in a monster truck demolition derby, Joe is pardoned. He eventually becomes President and marries Rita, while their friend Frito becomes Vice President. The film ends with the suggestion that Joe's actions began the process of undoing the 'dumbing-down' of humanity.
- First release year
- 2006
- Runtime (minutes)
- 84
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Mike Judge
- Writers
- Mike Judge · screenplay; Etan Cohen · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Luke Wilson · Joe Bauers / Not Sure; Maya Rudolph · Rita; Dax Shepard · Frito Pendejo; Terry Crews · Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho; Andrew Wilson · Beef Supreme; Brad Jordan · Upgrayedd
- Genres
- science fiction; comedy; satire
- Themes
- anti-intellectualism; commercialism; consumerism; overpopulation
- Tone and mood
- satirical; pitch-black; bleakly hilarious
- Premise and plot tags
- dystopian; time travel; social satire
- Reception
- The film received positive reviews from critics and has since become a cult film.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 66 · scale: 100 · review count: 12
- Production trivia
- The concept dates back to 1996.; The film was not screened for critics.; It was released in only 130 theaters.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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