As the film stresses, Goodman does independent journalism and doesn’t take money from corporations. This allows her and her team to be brutal in their takedowns of bad corporate behavior and the corrupting influence of money in politics and journalism. The subject excels at finding stories others are missing or are too timid to cover, such as protesters being arrested and beaten outside of a Republican National Convention. Then there’s her reporting from the perspective of the people on the streets of Baghdad, while mainstream reporters were embedded with US troops, giving them a distorted view of the U.S. invasion of Iraq.
Amy Goodman at a premiere event for the documentary Steal This Story, Please!, celebrating the film’s festival run and recognition at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
“…well-paced…”
The directors of Steal This Story, Please! were nominated for an Academy Award for the feature documentary Trouble the Water, about the survivors of Hurricane Katrina. They bring a keen eye for unearthing footage that reveals the character of their subjects profoundly and economically. The film is well-paced, jumping around through Goodman’s career and personal life at a good clip. We get to see glimpses of her family and dive into what drives her relentless crusade for justice. The family moments add a touch of humanity and humor, providing a welcome counterbalance to the weight of the injustices Goodman reports on.
Goodman reminds us that we should always be focused on what is right, not what is convenient. Things that are hard to look at are precisely those that we must examine deeply. She’s a remarkable example of what is possible if we resist the relentless forces of power and money trying to push us in a direction that serves their interests. If we can do that, we can better ourselves, our country, and the world. Steal This Story, Please! is not just an important film but a great one. It will entertain, inform, and might even change your views about the world and the kind of person you can become.
Steal This Story, Please! screened at the 2026 Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
"…reminds us that we should always be focused on what is right, not what is convenient."
