I have been helping people for 23 years recover from bad credit and over-whelming debt. The warning signs have been there for the collapse of our house of cards for a long time.The credit card industry has been able to successfully lobby Congress many times as "advocates" for the consumer, but they more of the wolf in sheep clothing. Credit card debt has risen steadily while collecting on bad debt has declined sharply. Why? The economic downturn, mortgage mess and job losses forced many people to use their credit cards to pay the mortgage, to buy groceries and other essentials that once were paid for with cash, ATM or checks. The same economic downturn forced debt collectors to turn to new ways of getting money from people with bad debt and no available credit.Debt collectors say their industry is struggling just like the rest of the economy. In an odd twist, the debt collection business is booming when you look at the number of new debt collection referrals that have arisen because more consumers can't pay their credit card and other bills. But, because more consumers can't pay their bills, debt collectors are often left empty-handed on the collection of bad debt.People aren't working, they're not paying off their debts, which will likely lead to more changes their collection strategies because of the economy and the rise in amount of charged off bad debt. Hold on tight, it will be interesting to see where this leads.Very good film.

The credit card companies have been maxing out people for decades. In this documentary, it looks at it's predatory lending policies especially towards college students on campus. The credit cards were always meant as a safety net or if you didn't have money. Some people used their credit cards as life support in emergency situations. Our financial situation in this country has further deteriorated since this documentary. You don't have to watch Michael Moore's film to see the situation's effect. Armed bank robbers are less deadly than the bank robbers in suits and ties who walk in on Wall Street. They may not have guns but they have the access and ability to destroy our economic situation far more than armed bank robbers like Bonnie and Clyde etc. Bank robberies don't happen like that anymore. It's done on the internet or in the policy meetings. The people you meet in this documentary are real and authentic. Debt has driven people to commit suicide because of the harassing phone calls and letters threatening to take away. That's the bottom dollar. Are the creditors far more interested in driving people to commit suicide or lose their sanity than get the money? It's a shame that it's going on and that people will be in debt until their dead. It's a perverted kind of freedom to be in debt like having a noose around your neck and the debt gets bigger than smaller with rising interest rates, penalties, and no breaks. Whatever happened to compassion and mercy in this society?

James D. Scurlock appears to be a virtual newcomer but his brilliant take on the debt industry and everything about it will open your eyes and will be an incredible eye opener. As some reviewers point out it may seem that the documentary is one sided but documentaries often are. Regardless of how the film is viewed it can be seen as a terrifying look at the mounting level of debt in our economy and our personal lives. The film even goes so far as to take the concept of debt to a far extreme and show several cases of how debt has literally caused the ruination of some lives and even in some cases, suicide. The film was informative and scary at the same time and was not boring for one minute given the amount of people and stories that the film covers. I can't judge a documentary based on the people in it really because they truly are real people, and the only thing you can really judge a documentary on is it's merit and how interesting it is. Indeed the film is entertaining and will give your system a serious shock when you see how incredible the issue of debt is in our country and on a personal basis. Definitely worth watching, you won't be disappointed for a minute. 9/10

This movie is certainly propaganda, however it contains important thought-provoking information and therefore I recommend it. If you have a mind of your own and are capable of differentiating truth from partial truth from fiction you should watch this movie. The message you take from it may not be what the producers wanted but that's OK. We can use them as they're attempting (quite successfully from the looks of these comments) to use us. If anything good comes out of this movie it will be a close look at debt on every level - from individual to global - and if only a few people research and understand the most basic principles of economics as a result, well then the world is a better place.