"Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, who directed Jesus Camp, wisely decided not to adapt one of the book's chapters. Instead, their 'Can You Bribe a Ninth Grader to Succeed?' observes an experiment run by University of Chicago economists (including Levitt) at a nearby high school. This is the only segment that begins without a foregone conclusion, and thus is the most interesting." -NPR
"An engaging, warmly funny tale of a bizarre Chicago experiment." -TIME OUT NEW YORK
"Demonstrating the benefits of a patient, traditional documentary approach, Ewing and Grady get remarkable access to skate punk Kevin Muncy, an ingenious kid who can't be bothered with school but who builds a tattoo gun out of an electric toothbrush and a guitar string, and Urail King, an extrovert whose response to seeing the inside of a Hummer limo is so unrestrained you think steam might come out of his ears." -THE VILLAGE VOICE
"Powerful and provocative.... Directors Rachel Grady and Heidi Ewing look at a Chicago Heights high school where kids with subpar grades are offered $50 a month if they can get straight C's or better. Two kids who eagerly agree to the experiment emerge as lively, not easily forgotten characters." -THE NEW YORK POST
FILMMAKER MAGAZINE
"HEIDI EWING AND RACHEL GRADY: 'Freakonomics'" -Damon Smith Wednesday, September 29th, 2010
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THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
"'Freakonomics' Film Review" -Frank Scheck Saturday, May 1st, 2010
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INDIEWIRE
"Magnolia Acquires 'Freakonomics'" -Peter Knegt Monday, April 5th, 2010
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VARIETY "Directors join up for 'Freakonomics'" -Michael Fleming Wednesday, December 5th, 2007
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