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F***
Directed & Produced by: Steve Anderson.
Director of Photography: Andre Fontanelle.
Edited by: Jayne Rodericks.
Music by: Carvin Knowles.
Released by: THINKFilm.
Country of Origin: USA. 93 min. Rated: Not Rated.
With: Pat Boone, Ice-T, Alanis Morissette, Drew Carey, Bill Maher, Dennis Prager, Billy Connolly, Alan Keyes, Hunter S. Thompson, Michael Medved, Janeane Garofalo, Ben Bradlee, Kevin Smith, Tera Patrick, & Evan Seinfeld.

Don’t be misled. F*** is not a documentary about the obscenity in the same way that the 2004 TV documentary Slut examined that insult. Liberal celebrities, conservative politicians, porn stars, and talk show hosts are asked how they feel about the word f***. There is no analysis about its origin (other than a segment where the celebrity talking heads respond to what they think is it is), or critical discussion about the word’s increasing usage and what this might mean for society (beyond the varying celebrities’ personal opinions). In lieu of any satisfying intellectual discourse, Drew Carey, Ice-T, and Pat Boone share their thoughts about the provocative word.

That seems to be the reason why this film was made: to be provocative. What other point is there in having liberal radio host Janeane Garofalo and conservative activist Alan Keyes talk about the word in relation to family values if not to provoke ideological conflict? It’s not thought provoking, it’s just feather ruffling. And it would have been successful to that end if it weren’t so monotonous. Although the film is separated into segments like “F*** and the Government” and “F*** and Music,” the rotating interviews continue to say the same thing over and over: f*** is either liberating and thus positive or vulgar and thus negative. It doesn’t help that the list of random celebrities does not include a single person who might have something worthwhile to say. (And yet somehow Alanis Morissette and Ron Jeremy were tapped to speak their minds.)

The clear-cut message that makes itself known within the first few minutes is that director/producer Steve Anderson thinks that uptightness about using the word is laughable and counterproductive to society. That point is underscored by the film’s closing segment, explaining that the film's production company would have been fined over eight million dollars for the total number of spoken f***s if movies were under the jurisdiction of the FCC – the most insightful moment the movie has to offer, which is followed by a long list of common phrases and compound words using f***, bringing the film back to its pedantic mediocrity. Zachary Jones
November 10, 2006