The Sellout (film)

The Sellout is a 2008 mockumentary film directed by Michael Showalter. It stars David Wain as Dave Davidson, a filmmaker attempting to create a serious, Oscar-worthy film about the 1980s US Farm Crisis after years of making slapstick comedies. The film satirizes independent filmmaking, the pursuit of artistic credibility, and the complexities of documentary filmmaking.

The plot revolves around Davidson's increasingly desperate and unethical attempts to document the struggles of struggling farmers in rural America. He manipulates situations, fabricates drama, and generally exploits his subjects in his quest for a compelling narrative. He is joined by his crew, played by Sarah Silverman, Paul Rudd, and Bill Hader, who become increasingly disillusioned with Davidson's methods.

The Sellout explores themes of artistic integrity, the ethics of documentary filmmaking, and the pressures within the independent film industry to achieve both critical acclaim and commercial success. The film employs a deadpan comedic style and incorporates elements of improvisation. While a fictional work, the film highlights some real concerns surrounding the manipulation and exploitation that can sometimes occur in documentary filmmaking.