The Great American Lie
Movie · Documentary

The Great American Lie examines how America's upside-down value system—built on the extreme masculine ideals of dominance, control, and aggression—has glorified money, power, and rugged individualism, institutionalizing inequality, and undermining the ability of most Americans to achieve the American Dream. The film ultimately unveils how we can get out of this mess, leading with more feminized values of empathy, care, and collaboration. The Great American Lie brings the reality of America’s vast inequality to life through the stories of five people: a public school principal fighting for better opportunities for her disadvantaged students, a social justice advocate shining a light on the plight of low-wage tipped workers, a public interest lawyer fighting for criminal justice reform that prioritizes care over punishment, a steelworker who knows firsthand the toll of layoffs, economic disillusionment and addiction, and a Southern conservative who takes us on a journey from disconnection and judgment to connection and empathy. All of these stories reveal ways that gendered values play out in our society, privileging few and oppressing many. The narrative stories are interwoven with expert voices who help give historical, political, and economic context to the film, including Bryan Stevenson, Ai-jen Poo, Steve Schmidt, Kimberlé Crenshaw, Nicholas Kristoff, Charles M. Blow, and many others.

2020 · 1h 39m
Starring Saru Jayaraman, Ruby De Tie, Scott Seitz
Director Jennifer Siebel Newsom

Trailers

  • The Great American Lie
    The Great American Lie
    Documentary

Related

  • Chisholm '72: Unbought & Unbossed
  • Trapped
  • Surge
  • Alt-Right: Age of Rage
  • Free Angela and All Political Prisoners
  • Flint: The Poisoning of an American City
  • Notes From The Field
  • AKA Jane Roe
  • The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975

Cast & Crew

  • Saru Jayaraman
    Self
  • R‌D
    Ruby De Tie
    Self
  • S‌S
    Scott Seitz
    Self
  • Jennifer Siebel Newsom
    Director
  • A‌M
    Amanda Mortimer
    Producer
  • Jennifer Siebel Newsom
    Producer
  • B‌R
    Brenda Robinson
    Producer
  • Regina K. Scully
    Producer
  • S‌M
    Stephen M. Silberstein
    Producer
  • Jamie Wolf
    Producer
  • Jennifer Siebel Newsom
    Writer

About

The Great American Lie

Documentary

The Great American Lie examines how America's upside-down value system—built on the extreme masculine ideals of dominance, control, and aggression—has glorified money, power, and rugged individualism, institutionalizing inequality, and undermining the ability of most Americans to achieve the American Dream. The film ultimately unveils how we can get out of this mess, leading with more feminized values of empathy, care, and collaboration. The Great American Lie brings the reality of America’s vast inequality to life through the stories of five people: a public school principal fighting for better opportunities for her disadvantaged students, a social justice advocate shining a light on the plight of low-wage tipped workers, a public interest lawyer fighting for criminal justice reform that prioritizes care over punishment, a steelworker who knows firsthand the toll of layoffs, economic disillusionment and addiction, and a Southern conservative who takes us on a journey from disconnection and judgment to connection and empathy. All of these stories reveal ways that gendered values play out in our society, privileging few and oppressing many. The narrative stories are interwoven with expert voices who help give historical, political, and economic context to the film, including Bryan Stevenson, Ai-jen Poo, Steve Schmidt, Kimberlé Crenshaw, Nicholas Kristoff, Charles M. Blow, and many others.

Information

Studio
Vertical Entertainment
Released
2020
Run Time
1 hr 39 min
Rated
Unrated
Region of Origin
United States
© 2019 The Representation Project. All Rights Reserved

Languages

Original Audio
English
Audio

English (AAC, ⁨Dolby 5.1⁩)

Subtitles

English (CC)

Accessibility

Closed captions (CC) refer to subtitles in the available language with the addition of relevant non-dialogue information.
  • Français (Canada)
Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

  • Armenia
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bahrain
  • Botswana
  • Brunei Darussalam
  • Cape Verde
  • Egypt
  • Eswatini
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • India
  • Israel
  • Jordan
  • Lebanon
  • Mauritius
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Niger (English)
  • Oman
  • Qatar
  • Saudi Arabia
  • South Africa
  • Sri Lanka
  • Tajikistan
  • Turkmenistan
  • Uganda
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Zimbabwe

Asia Pacific

  • Australia
  • Cambodia
  • Fiji
  • 香港 (廣東話–繁體)
  • Indonesia (English)
  • 日本
  • Lao People's Democratic Republic
  • 澳門 (廣東話–繁體)
  • Malaysia (English)
  • Micronesia, Federated States of
  • Mongolia
  • New Zealand
  • Philippines
  • Singapore
  • 대한민국
  • 台灣
  • Thailand
  • Turkmenistan
  • Vietnam

Europe

  • Armenia
  • Österreich
  • Belarus
  • Belgium
  • Bulgaria
  • Cyprus
  • Czechia
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France (Français)
  • Deutschland
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Ireland
  • Italia
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg (English)
  • Malta
  • Moldova, Republic Of
  • Nederland
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal (Português)
  • Россия
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • España
  • Sverige
  • Schweiz
  • Türkiye (English)
  • Ukraine
  • United Kingdom

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Anguilla
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Argentina (Español)
  • Bahamas
  • Belize
  • Bermuda
  • Bolivia (Español)
  • Brasil
  • Virgin Islands, British
  • Cayman Islands
  • Chile (Español)
  • Colombia (Español)
  • Costa Rica (Español)
  • Dominica
  • República Dominicana
  • Ecuador (Español)
  • El Salvador (Español)
  • Grenada
  • Guatemala (Español)
  • Honduras (Español)
  • México
  • Nicaragua (Español)
  • Panamá
  • Paraguay (Español)
  • Perú
  • St. Kitts and Nevis
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Venezuela (Español)

The United States and Canada

  • Canada (English)
  • Canada (Français)
  • United States
  • Estados Unidos (Español México)

Copyright © 2025 Apple Inc. All rights reserved.

  • Internet Service Terms
  • Apple TV & Privacy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Support
Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

  • Armenia
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bahrain
  • Botswana
  • Brunei Darussalam
  • Cape Verde
  • Egypt
  • Eswatini
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • India
  • Israel
  • Jordan
  • Lebanon
  • Mauritius
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Niger (English)
  • Oman
  • Qatar
  • Saudi Arabia
  • South Africa
  • Sri Lanka
  • Tajikistan
  • Turkmenistan
  • Uganda
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Zimbabwe

Asia Pacific

  • Australia
  • Cambodia
  • Fiji
  • 香港 (廣東話–繁體)
  • Indonesia (English)
  • 日本
  • Lao People's Democratic Republic
  • 澳門 (廣東話–繁體)
  • Malaysia (English)
  • Micronesia, Federated States of
  • Mongolia
  • New Zealand
  • Philippines
  • Singapore
  • 대한민국
  • 台灣
  • Thailand
  • Turkmenistan
  • Vietnam

Europe

  • Armenia
  • Österreich
  • Belarus
  • Belgium
  • Bulgaria
  • Cyprus
  • Czechia
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France (Français)
  • Deutschland
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Ireland
  • Italia
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg (English)
  • Malta
  • Moldova, Republic Of
  • Nederland
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal (Português)
  • Россия
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • España
  • Sverige
  • Schweiz
  • Türkiye (English)
  • Ukraine
  • United Kingdom

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Anguilla
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Argentina (Español)
  • Bahamas
  • Belize
  • Bermuda
  • Bolivia (Español)
  • Brasil
  • Virgin Islands, British
  • Cayman Islands
  • Chile (Español)
  • Colombia (Español)
  • Costa Rica (Español)
  • Dominica
  • República Dominicana
  • Ecuador (Español)
  • El Salvador (Español)
  • Grenada
  • Guatemala (Español)
  • Honduras (Español)
  • México
  • Nicaragua (Español)
  • Panamá
  • Paraguay (Español)
  • Perú
  • St. Kitts and Nevis
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Venezuela (Español)

The United States and Canada

  • Canada (English)
  • Canada (Français)
  • United States
  • Estados Unidos (Español México)