The Dark Money Game
| The Dark Money Game | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Documentary |
| Directed by | Alex Gibney |
| Production | |
| Production company | HBO[1] |
| Original release | |
| Network | Max |
| Release | April 15 – April 16, 2025 |
The Dark Money Game is a 2025 two-part documentary miniseries directed by Alex Gibney which explores the use of dark money in United States politics.[2][3]
The miniseries comprises the following films:
- Ohio Confidential - covers the Ohio nuclear bribery scandal
- Wealth of the Wicked - traces the history of campaign finance law in the United States, focusing on the influence of super PACs and religious groups, as well as the fine line between bribes and donations within the political process
Production
The project was inspired by Jane Mayer's book Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right.[4] It features interviews with journalists, lawmakers, judges, FBI investigators, whistleblowers, and insiders.[4]
Release
The first film, Ohio Confidential, premiered on April 15, 2025.[5] The second film, Wealth of the Wicked, premiered on April 16, 2025.[5]
Reception
Eric Deggans of NPR stated, "For anyone worried about how gerrymandering and one-party dominance of legislatures may have made it easier for politicians to ignore the will of the people, Gibney's films offer a potent argument tracing the problem to an avalanche of dark money easily hidden from the public's view."[6] Daniel Fienberg of The Hollywood Reporter commented that "This is important stuff, but unfortunately it is not good storytelling from a filmmaker who, far more often than not, knows from good storytelling."[3]
References
- ^ "The Dark Money Game". HBO. Retrieved April 24, 2025.
- ^ Smith, David (April 15, 2025). "'We're on a knife edge': Alex Gibney warns about the dangers of dark money" – via The Guardian.
- ^ a b Fienberg, Daniel (April 15, 2025). "'The Dark Money Game' Review: Alex Gibney's Two Feature-Length HBO Documentaries Tackle Urgent Issues in Uninspired Ways". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 24, 2025.
- ^ a b Morfoot, Addie (April 7, 2025). "Alex Gibney Talks HBO's 'The Dark Money Game' And Upcoming 'Musk' Doc: 'We Have a Lot of Information I Know That Nobody Else Has'". Variety. Retrieved April 24, 2025.
- ^ a b Carey, Matthew (April 15, 2025). "Doc Talk Podcast: Oscar Winner Alex Gibney Opens Secret Vault Of Political Cash In 'The Dark Money Game'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 24, 2025.
- ^ Deggans, Eric (April 14, 2025). "What's on TV: 2 new documentaries, a Western, a comedy, and 'The Rehearsal'". NPR. Retrieved April 24, 2025.