This documentary offers a vivid portrait of the Netherlands' permissive social landscape. Interviewing prostitutes, judges, political leaders, coffeehouse owners, and regular Dutch citizens, filmmaker Jonathan Blank makes the case that decriminalizing "soft" drugs and prostitution can advance the public good by freeing government to spend more time on education, prevention, and public health efforts. Blank ties the film together by presenting excerpts from the Dutch constitution, which frames individual liberties very differently than does the U.S. Constitution. These excerpts make clear why the Dutch government does not have the authority to legislate morality. The only flaw in the documentary is that it cheerleads for its political message and fails to document any negatives to the Dutch social arrangement. It must also be said that this documentary is not for the close-minded or easily offended; be prepared for graphic nudity during the section on pornography and live sex shows.
The bonus features on the DVD are excellent. Far more amusing than the actual documentary is the black and white film "Reefer Madness," an unintentionally hilarious cautionary tale about how marijuana is sure to transform good citizens into maniacal, murderous thugs. There's also "Hemp for Victory," a short produced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture during World War II to convince farmers that it was their patriotic duty to convert a portion of their land to hemp production. These two features alone are worth the price of the DVD.
