Watch King Corn

"King Corn" is a documentary film from 2007 that follows two college friends, Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis, as they embark on a journey to discover the source of the food they eat. The two young men set out to grow an acre of corn in Iowa, the heartland of America, to better understand how modern agriculture works and how it affects our food.

The documentary begins with Cheney and Ellis undergoing a hair analysis test to determine their body's composition of corn. To their surprise, the test reveals that both of their bodies are made up of over 50% corn. This discovery propels them on a journey to understand why ubiquitous corn is in everything they eat.

The duo set themselves up in Iowa, where they lease an acre of land and enlist the help of a local farmer to teach them the ropes of modern corn farming. Cheney and Ellis plant their field with genetically modified corn that is grown primarily for animal feed and high fructose corn syrup.

Throughout the documentary, we see the two young men visiting various corn-related sites, such as a processing plant that produces corn syrup and a cattle feedlot where they witness firsthand the mass production of corn-fed beef. They also meet with agricultural experts to learn more about the history of modern agriculture, including Earl L. Butz who served as Secretary of Agriculture under President Nixon.

As the documentary unfolds, Cheney and Ellis come to realize that modern agriculture is entirely dependent on corn, and that corn is indeed in almost every food product the United States produces. They discover that corn is a cheap and abundant ingredient, as well as a significant contributor to global obesity, economic inequality, and environmental damage. From Iowa, to Kentucky, to New York City, the filmmakers follow the trail of corn and how it influences modern society.

King Corn provides an eye-opening exploration of how corn has morphed from a simple, nutritional grain into the paramount force driving industrial farming and its environmental and social consequences. Ultimately, the documentary makes the case for more ecologically and economically responsible farming methods that can benefit both people and entire ecosystems.

Overall, "King Corn" is a fascinating documentary that sheds light on the far-reaching implications of modern agriculture. It’s an insightful look at the industrialization of farming, and it showcases how corn has become a symbol of our cultural disconnection from our food sources. Cheney and Ellis present a compelling case to reform our agricultural practices, ultimately making us think more critically about what we put into our bodies.

King Corn is a 2007 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 30 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.0 and a MetaScore of 70.