A Nostalgic Sideshow Cloaked in Controversy

Read Time:6 Minute, 2 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
Roseanne Barr is America
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Genre: Documentary
Year Released: 2025
Runtime: 1h 30m
Director(s): Joel Gilbert
Where to Watch: available June 10, 2025, pre-order your copy here: www.mvdshop.com or www.amazon.com

RAVING REVIEW: ROSEANNE BARR IS AMERICA is a film that tries to juggle too much at once—part retrospective, part grievance-laden manifesto—and the result is a documentary at war with itself. It wants to celebrate Roseanne’s undeniable impact on American comedy while positioning her as a political martyr. That contradiction never fully resolves, and the film suffers for it, even as it provides moments of genuine interest.

Coming from director Joel Gilbert, whose previous work includes the ethically troubling THE CLIMATE ACCORDING TO AI AL GORE, this project, while still problematic, feels like a slightly more measured offering. Compared to the digital ventriloquism and character assassination that marred the Al Gore film, this documentary leans heavily into traditional talking-head interviews and archival footage. That doesn’t make it good, but it does make it less unwatchable.

The film's first half plays like a “Where Are They Now?” piece, pulling from Roseanne’s childhood, early stand-up gigs, and groundbreaking sitcom. That history isn’t just worth remembering—it’s vital. ROSEANNE was a cultural turning point, one of the rare network sitcoms that took on class issues with humor and honesty. And there’s real weight to seeing Barr reflect on that period, especially through old footage of her working clubs or clashing with studio execs. For fans of the show or students of TV history, these parts may offer something resembling value. However, it's odd how the documentary frames older clips and interviews as trying to be edgier than they were.

But the film doesn’t stop there. Once the focus shifts from her career to the so-called “canceling,” everything begins to unravel. It tries to frame her infamous 2018 tweet—widely interpreted as a racist jab at Valerie Jarrett—as a misunderstood political commentary. The film wants us to believe that Barr is a victim of overreaction, but it fails to grapple with the plain text of what she wrote or the long history of dog whistles and coded language in American politics. Instead of real introspection, the film barrels forward with an “everyone else is the problem” narrative that feels more self-serving than revealing.

That shift in tone—from a woman reclaiming her legacy to a conspiracy-tinged tirade—makes the back half of the documentary tough to get through. It’s not that Barr’s fall from grace shouldn’t be explored; the film refuses to do so with any complexity. Instead, it paints her as a crusader against “cancel culture,” “wokeness,” and a long list of vague political forces that are never quite defined but always conveniently villainous. It’s a shallow explanation for what could have been a fascinating exploration of how fame, accountability, and digital discourse collide in modern America.

There are moments when Barr remains undeniably a magnetic storyteller. Her comic timing is still intact, and her ability to deliver commentary hasn't completely eroded. You can see glimmers of the performer who once commanded the attention of millions each week. Unfortunately, those moments are often buried under rambling tangents and blame-shifting, diluted by the film’s insistence that she’s been unfairly cast aside.

Unlike Gilbert’s previous film, ROSEANNE BARR IS AMERICA doesn’t rely on AI trickery or fabricated interviews. But that’s a low bar, and the tradeoff here is an overreliance on unchallenged assertions and one-sided framing. There’s little in the way of counterbalance or journalistic rigor. It’s not a documentary that seeks to understand—it seeks to vindicate. That distinction matters, particularly when it concerns someone as polarizing as Barr.

To be fair, the film does raise valid questions about the speed and severity of public backlash in the digital age. We live in a time when reputations can be destroyed with a single tweet, and that’s worth unpacking. But Gilbert uses that discourse not as an opportunity to reflect but as a baton to attack perceived enemies—media, liberal elites, and anyone else who doesn’t buy into the redemption arc he’s trying to sell.

And that’s the crux of the issue. ROSEANNE BARR IS AMERICA wants to present its subject as a cultural touchstone and a tragic hero. Doing so ignores the possibility that both can be true and still complicated. Roseanne was a powerful voice in comedy and a symbol of working-class grit. She also said something deeply offensive and refused to take meaningful responsibility. The documentary wants you to pick a side—hero or villain—but reality doesn’t work that way.

It’s hard to call the film outright propaganda, but it’s certainly not a work of objective filmmaking. It’s a love letter penned by someone who either can’t or won’t recognize the messy truth at the heart of its subject. A version of this documentary—honest, complex, and unflinching—could’ve had real value. Instead, ROSEANNE BARR IS AMERICA feels like an echo chamber built for applause. The real knock-out punch was pinning on the weird and uncomfortable clip from Canadian “rapper” Tom MacDonald with Barr as a guest spot, spouting conspiracy theories while wearing culturally appropriate braids. So much of the film was made before her dive into the deep end of MAGA.

In the end, this is a confused and contradictory attempt to be some celebration of a fallen icon. And for a story that has fascinated and frustrated many, that just doesn’t cut it.

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[photo courtesy of HIGHWAY 61 ENTERTAINMENT, MVD ENTERTAINMENT]

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