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Thursday, January 30, 2020

American Factory (2019)

I didn't realize it when I watched the movie, but this is the first movie that the Obama's worked on with Netflix, and lets just say it is not a "feel good" story by any means.  All of the five nominees for Best Documentary share a very grim view of the world.
The filmmakers made an Oscar nominated short documentary about the closing of a GM plant near Dayton, Ohio in 2009.  This is filmed in that same factory when it is reopened as a Chinese financed factory, Fuyao Glass America.  The money and the chairman are from China, and you can see from the beginning that there are significant culture clashes.
The American workers are happy to be back at work, but they are making less than half of what they made as GM workers.  The Chinese struggle with the safety regulations, leterally ignoring them and seem annoyed when it is pointed out to them that following them is the law.  Then there is the trip that Chairman Cao arranges for the Americans to visit a Chinese factory.  Workers are much more organized, more professional, faster, and they work 6-7 days a week.  It is starkly evident that we just cannot compete with that on the international stage.  All the air is sucked out of the room as the story comes to a close.

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