Friday June 28th

Born Rich is a 2003 feature documentary by Jamie Johnson, an heir to the Johnson & Johnson fortune. The film provides insight into Johnson’s life and the lives of his peers. They are what the occupy protesters would refer to as ‘the 1%’ which coincidentally is the name of Johnson’s other documentary, The One Percent (2006). The young adults featured in Born Rich represent various empires including Trump Real-Estate, Whitney-Vanderbilt, A&P Supermarkets, Bloomberg, the last Kaiser of Germany, and more. This is an impressive first feature film made by a 24 year old questioning what it is to be rich. I’d even guess that Johnson’s sharp tone and serious demeanor might’ve been an inspiration for Christian Bale’s iconic performance as Bruce Wayne in the Dark Knight movies.

The documentary provides a real insight into the mentality of young people dealing with the circumstances they were born into and watching it should be encouraged for those that like to degrade rich people. For people that remain jealous and envious of inherited wealth it’s important to learn that the small circle born into the ultra elite many have doubts about their position. The movie is more about personal stories than showcasing huge mansions or other luxuries that wealth can buy. To remember what Born Rich is not, I’d recommend a brief intermission to look at Rich Kids of Instagram blog and the The Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous TV show intro.

Overall, this movie is great Friducation viewing and aligns with our optimistic outlook for the future. Although monetary wealth connects all the characters, Born Rich proves that these individuals cannot be generalized as they all have diverse views on being young with old money.