About Freakonomics

Freakonomics, released in 2010, is a thought-provoking documentary based on the best-seller book "Freakonomics" by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner. The movie explores the scientific and economic concepts behind human behavior and social issues. It combines the eye-opening theories of economist Steven D. Levitt with the engaging narrative style of author Stephen J. Dubner. The film is divided into multiple segments, each examining a different aspect of economics and society.

Making / Production

Freakonomics was created by a team of powerhouse filmmakers, including Alex Gibney (Taxi to the Dark Side), Morgan Spurlock (Supersize Me), Rachel Grady and Heidi Ewing (Jesus Camp), Eugene Jarecki (Why We Fight), and Seth Gordon (The King of Kong). Each of the filmmakers brought their unique styles to their respective segments, creating a varied and engaging viewing experience.

Actors

This documentary didn’t rely on traditional actors as much as conventional movies. Instead, many of the "characters" in the film were people under study or interviewees. The few exceptions to this trend include:

• Greg Crowe plays Multiple roles in archive footage, contributing to giving the narrative a real-life context.
• Adesuwa Addy Iyare plays herself, a high school student who gets involved in incentives-based program to increase student performance. Her authentic portrayal added depth to this segment of the film.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• "Freakonomics" is based on a best-selling book that has sold more than 4 million copies worldwide.
• The directors were each given the same budget and were asked to choose a chapter from the book to make into a short film.
• The full title of the book is "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything".
• In the movie, Steve Levitt proposes that the drop in crime in the 1990s was a result of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion.

Quotes

• "Morality, it could be argued, represents the way people would like the world to work - whereas economics represents how it actually does work."
• "People respond to incentives."
• "The conventional wisdom is often wrong."

Music, Soundtrack

• The movie features music from a variety of genres, including indie rock, jazz, and classical, each selected to fit the theme of the corresponding chapter.
• Despite its diverse soundtrack, the movie does not have any original songs or a dedicated score.