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American Chaos is a 2018 documentary film directed by James D. Stern. The film takes the form of an analysis of the United States of America in the time leading up to the 2016 presidential election. The movie documents the spiraling phenomenon of Donald Trump's successful campaign, is examined in-depth through a remarkable lens: the point of view of two people - John Ladd and Julio Martinez - who voted for Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012 but switched to Trump in 2016.

The film is set against the backdrop of one of the most divisive and controversial presidential campaigns in American history. Election coverage serves as the movie's narrative framework, with intermittent appearances from key political figures and experts, bookending a stream of interviews conducted in marginalized corners of the Rust Belt. The bulk of the film's focus falls on two men from diverse upbringings who became disillusioned by the establishment and saw Donald Trump as the only candidate capable of enacting real change.

Beyond the prominent cultural influences that shaped these two men and others like them, the film explores the genuine economic anxieties and intense demographic shifts that have come to define the country's middle class. Much of the documentary's exploration is presented via John and Julio's colloquial conversations about their day-to-day lives and the larger cultural conversations taking place around them.

Stern captured the pair's voices in the hope of better understanding the political and social forces that seem to have driven so many unlikely voters to Trump's camp. He described the film as "an effort to give voice to people who have strong points of view but are often ignored even though their vote is as important as anyone else’s."

While the film is a direct response to the current political climate in the United States, it steers clear of any overt partisan rhetoric. Rather, it approaches the subject as an objective observer, allowing its broad range of characters to express themselves openly and freely.

With the inclusion of interviews with experts and everyday citizens alike, American Chaos paints a multifaceted portrait of a disjointed, frustrated populace whose collective friction runs deeper than any single administration. The film reflects on American culture's zeitgeist, and as the director stated in the interview with Rolling Stone, "It's less of a movie about Trump and more of a movie about America. Trump is the conduit."

American Chaos is a refreshingly non-judgmental and sober examination of a fractured nation that aims to provide insight into the diverse motivations behind the president's election, in the hopes of promoting greater political understanding and dialog in uncertain times. It's an essential, thought-provoking and ultimately hopeful movie that sheds light on a nation in crisis as it searches for hope and purpose; one that ultimately serves as a reminder of the importance of remaining connected to one another, no matter our political leanings.

American Chaos is a 2018 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 30 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.7 and a MetaScore of 52.