The Divide

What happens when the rich get richer? How did the income gap become so large? How does it affect the people who barely make enough money to survive? These are the questions that drive The Divide, a timely documentary that examines economic inequality in the modern world. Casting an eye across the income spectrum, it follows seven individuals from different backgrounds, including an ambitious psychologist from New York, a hardworking carer from Newcastle and a recovering alcoholic from Glasgow. Some stories are more interesting than others, but they combine to form an intriguing, thought-provoking experience that looks at both sides of the coin. That said, there's little doubt that the film's sympathies lie with the underprivileged, while director Katharine Round is somewhat critical of the so-called "American Dream". Nevertheless, she gives us plenty to think about, and the subject matter is important.