Freakonomics (2010)

When I saw the trailer for this documentary based on the best-selling book of the same title I became very interested.  I love the idea that truths we all take for granted are not true at all.  Of the four segments of this film I'd say only two are really that eye-opening.  The first part deals with the power of naming.   I did find it funny how lower income parents tend to name their children popular names that upper-class families picked hence turning that name into a trite imitation.  Slightly interesting.  The second segment is about Sumo wrestling and cheating.  Boring.  The third segment deals with the kind of controversial analysis I was excepting: crime rates in association with abortion rates.  Very interesting.  The last segment sheds some light on incentive programs and how ineffective they are, especially for education.  Interesting.  Overall I was disappointed in this film.  I would have liked there to have been more segments and felt the producers missed the mark.   I'd not call this a bad film but nowhere near as good as I had hoped.  Grade: B.