Reviews of PAY 2 PLAY
FROM THE PRESS:
“PAY 2 PLAY lays out a compelling case against corporate personhood and money as free speech…Researched, sourced and interviewed exhaustively." — LA Times
“Ennis is an optimist at heart, and his belief that one person can make a difference is infectious…The difference with this movie is that it actually means to inspire hope.”— Washington Post
"Required viewing for anyone interested in American politics." - Library Journal
“A masterpiece…The talking points in this film are bladed lasers.” — OpEd News Review
“An empowering call to action for people to know that every voice counts. He tells his story with humor.” — Cinema Assassin
"I am inspired by John Wellington Ennis and his “Pay 2 Play” documentary tackling the massive issue of campaign reform." - Filmmaking Stuff
“Full of energy and intelligence and a heartfelt and necessary message…We can only laugh -- and hope. PAY 2 PLAY is actually a very heartening movie.” — TrustMovies
“A stirring plea to level the playing field in our political system.” — UTNE
“A must-watch film!” — DAILY KOS
“A must-watch…a vital film for our democracy.” — Mudflats
"Our own democratic system could use an overhaul, as demonstrated in “Pay 2 Play: Democracy’s High Stakes,” - Boston Globe
"Pay 2 Play is an effective, illuminating and hopeful piece about the place of money in our political system." - Willamette Live
“Follows politicians, lobbyists and activists, taking you through a roller coaster of controversy.” — ABC7 Eyewitness News, LA
“Tightly sewn in its approach and intent as a primer for understanding … PAY 2 PLAY argues that everyone, regardless of political position, should have an equal say in who represents him or her in the government…a compelling reason to reexamine the way our political world works.” — Brightest Young Things
“Makes a very persuasive argument…Ennis wisely incorporates some humor to balance the heavy, frightening insights. One of the most important facts that he sheds light on is one that hasn't been exposed in a documentary before…Much more illuminating and thorough than Michael Moore's Capitalism: A Love Story.” — NYC Movie Guru
“Surprisingly optimistic…Tells a very clear and easily understandable tale…Delightful…A joyous, hopeful and inspirational statement…The harder and much more important job is to tell a complex tale in a straight-forward, compelling and easy to understand way. Which PAY 2 PLAY does beautifully.” — Firedoglake
"Ennis isn’t the only journalist or filmmaker to blow the whistle on the pay-to-play system, of course, but his documentary lays it out in terms that should make all Americans angry enough to vote." — Movie City News
AT SCREENINGS:
"The audience appreciated the humanization and humor in Pay 2 Play; it's not just another Citizen Koch movie" David Norlin, Salinas, KS
"I had super high expectations going in, but the film exceeded them. It's brilliant. It opens a window and provides daylight and visibility into something we all know is happening, but when you see actual examples, it's terrific." Andrew Bloom, Berkshires, MA
"I appreciated the new information in the film. It's also a reminder of the power of individual and collective action." Kathy Baldwin-Heightman, Kansas City, MO
"We loved it. Good fun was had by all." Sarah Knopp, Santa Fe, NM
"The screening was a great success. People were very attentive and absorbed throughout the film and it led to a great discussion that lasted well over an hour." Helen Ashraf, Carbondale, IL
"In the film you said something like 'You can effect 100,000 people who don't care and it won't matter. But you can effect one person who does care and then it does matter'. I am one of those people you have reached that matters, because I care quite a bit about what this organization stands for. As I watched the film, something just clicked, looking around the class, and talking afterword to my classmates about it, everyone DID realize it was an issue. Well I want to do something, and I feel like I need to, no matter how difficult it is." Nicholas Glassburn, Columbus, OH
"I just got done inviting everyone one of my friends to like your page. I did this because the movie to be incredible! Thank you! Never before have I felt so empowered to be part of the change needed, in such a way that gives me hope and optimism moving forward." Joel Haq, Seattle, WA
"We really were uber excited to have finally found a way to work with students. People genuinely seemed to enjoy the film--if, indeed, one can enjoy a film about the highjacking of our democracy... Senator John Marty came to our screening. Love that guy. He is the guy who introduced and got the We the People Act passed in the Minnesota Senate in 2013. Alas, it didn't get a vote in the MN House in 2014. But John is ready to introduce it again in 2015!" Phyllis Roden, Minneapolis, MN
"People were amazed at the amount of sleaze in the whole business. I asked the question after watching the film, "which do you think is worse, stripping or the requirements of raising political capital?" The overwhelming answer was raising political capital." TP, Berkeley, CA
"This is the gamechanger. It's finally bringing what is going on to our democracy. It's exposing why it's being destroyed and how democracy as we know it doesn't exist anymore. It's not democracy, it's a game of monopoly." Zoe Muntaner, Santa Monica, CA
ENDORSEMENTS:
"Pay2Play shows us, with humor and playful insight, how the US economy is a rigged Monopoly game. If we just throw out the board, refuse to play the game, we win." - Greg Palast, investigative journalist and author, Billionaires & Ballot Bandits
"There's nothing more important to our economy and our democracy than getting big money out of politics. Watch this film and learn why." - Robert B. Reich, Chancellor's Professor at Berkeley, former U.S. Secretary of Labor.
"Now the democracy movement has our Gasland - a great documentary that tells the tough truth, points the way to change, and fills the heart with hope." - Kai Newkirk, 99RISE
"Pay 2 Play takes you on a fun ride through the under belly of our corrupted political system, while entertaining and engaging you to become a part of the solution." - Derek Cressman, Campaign Director Yes On Prop 49
"Pay 2 Play is arguable the most important film on the undue influence of money on our democracy. It also serves as a great manual of how to take it back essential viewing for every citizen and politician." - Jeff Clements, Free Speech For People and author of Corporations Are Not People
"Corporate power is undermining confidence in our democracy and citizen power is the howwe can reclaim it. Pay 2 Play exposes the game. Now it is time to step up to the challenge and create a movement where citizens of all political persuasions stand together to heal the heart of our democracy." - Joan Blades co-founder of MoveOn, MomsRising and LivingRoomConversations.org
“This is a powerful film for our times. Pay 2 Play vividly tells the story of the threat posed to our political process by big money interests and what we can do to fight back to defend our Republic. This is a must-see movie for anyone who cares about the cause of democracy and the promise of political equality for all.” - John Bonifaz, Co-Founder and President, Free Speech For People