American Factory (2019)

A couple of years after a large OH factory closes, a Chinese auto glass company arrives to breathe new life into it and the community.

This is a fair look at the differences between Chinese and American values and it caused my perspective to shift several times while I was viewing. At first I was with the Chinese: they were coming with jobs and trust and training -- but when I heard them saying the Americans are slow and have "fat fingers" I winced a bit but felt more "yeah... fair" than "what the hell!?" Comparatively, our insistence on higher wages for less work does seem weird and undeserved.

But then I realized that the Chinese workers who work overtime and spend so much time away from their families don't do so because of work ethic: they do so because there's no choice. I also remembered that American factories were similarly run before we passed laws to protect worker interest and force safety measures. The Chinese are not superior: they have simply prioritized profit over quality of life.

It's the rare film that truly gives voice to all of those involved. I sympathized with almost everyone.

B+