Vegucated (2011) User Reviews

Some decent parts, but mostly another dogmatic vegan movie

[nikkicyr · 6/10 · 6 March 2015]

Not a bad movie overall (I really liked the format of following people and teaching them), but ironically not as focused on HEALTH as I would like to have seen.

My two biggest problems with the movie are as follows:

1. Anything vegan was automatically given a "free pass" and labeled as healthy. In reality, the host taught the three people to rely very heavily on highly processed meat-replacement foods. As one point the host happily told them that store bought frosting and teddy grams were vegan, so they were free game and I wanted to scream at the TV. For this reason, I think that the producers and host are either not very knowledgeable about nutrition and/or they don't care about health as much as they do the animals...

2. They really didn't spend a lot of time talking about HEALTH in this movie, oddly. The bulk of the movie was trying to convince them (and you) to go vegan, but they didn't approach it from an angle about becoming healthy so much as they tried to scare and disgust people by showing clips of animals being abused. Granted, there was the guest appearance of Dr. F, but the movie really disappointed me in that regard.

For my full review, see: http://www.drnicoledinezza.com/doctor-dinezzas- blog/a-review-of-vegucated

Some good info, but too much of a farm animal rights activism showpiece

[leisasd · 6/10 · 27 April 2013]

The name "Vegucated" sounds to me like a film that would give you a good education on the benefits of a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle. I like the concept of introducing 3 people to such a wonderful way of living. Dr. Fuhrman made an appearance, checking their health and showed how their health improved in the short time they were on the program. The show also exposed many problems in some slaughterhouses, dairy and large organic farms, which is appreciated since I am now more likely to purchase meat from small local farms. It was definitely extremely politically slanted for farm animal rights. Its as if they expect you to be shocked at seeing animals who are bred for food to be killed for that purpose. Or that Americans who are only used to seeing animals already dead in the supermarket would not be able to cope with the idea that they were once alive and were killed whether humanely or not. They spent way too much time trying to convert the 3 subjects, and the viewers, into farm animal rights activists. They should have spent some time showing viewers examples of people who have been positively impacted by veganism such as having their cancer (or other terrible disease) cured just by changing their diet. A visit to Florida to see the 70-year old Annette Larkin who looks 35 would have really made this documentary kick, if they really wanted to give a true education about veganism and not just a farm animal rights activist propaganda program.

Movie raises awareness, but it's very one-sided

[roels50 · 7/10 · 4 November 2013]

Although I think this movie could have been much better, I gave it a 7. I really liked the concept of meat-lovers experiencing the vegan lifestyle, gaining knowledge about what happens behind doors to provide people with animal products. This movie raises awareness of crazy animal suffering, which so few people really know about. It is also great that this movie takes only 1 hour, which makes it easer for people to decide to go watch this movie.

Before I'll start about the downside of this movie, I want to add that I am a vegetarian and am considering veganism.

The thing that really annoyed me in this movie and actually in general discussions about vegetarianism/veganism, is that vegetarians/vegans always try to prove they've made the right choice, by only showing the veganism supporting arguments, images, studies etcetera, without showing ANY nonsupporting arguments/studies. What about the risks of overconsumption of soy (which is easy with soymilk, because this is highly concentrated with soy), what about people with allergies/intolerances which heavily limit their food options, what about nutrients like vitamin B12 and DHA (an Omega-3 fatty acid), or maybe even some thoughts about the lack of availability of vegan products elsewhere in the world to provide a fully nutritious diet and there are many other points of discussion which are not as easy as you would want it.

For me there are also so many questions unanswered, which nobody seems to talk about and this subject is so much more complex than this movie is showing. At least they added a humorous touch to the movie (although some humor could have been better.. :)), which compensates this problem a little.

Overall, the movie is OK and especially a must watch for ignorant people (which we have LOTS of on this planet), but it would certainly not survive the real critic.

We are better than this

[terrellcunningham1115 · 29 December 2012]

Im not a vegan i was wondering about vegans life style.And now I am sickened at myself for not knowing this!. I don't know how we can let this go on treating animals with such cruelty. As far as I know,in all of time never before has any of our ancestor been so cruel and disrespectful to life. We are the best and most evolved on this plant and no other animal is as cruel. It disgrace us as the human race to treat another animal with such horrific disregard. How can we do this? I always said i could never raise an animal and then kill it to eat. But now I think that letting an animal live and treating it well until you did kill it and eat it would be so much more human. I did not watch this film to become a vegan but now I fell like I have to stop eating animals or I am just as guilty as these slaughter houses are. I will not give them any more of my money!!I will not fund these action, I am a better person than this!!!It not okay to do this to something that is weaker than you. I don't want to drink a glass of milk bad enough to make a cow stand in a stall of iron for it's entire life, i will never drink milk again from a cow that has been treated this way.Sick!

Great Movie !

[annajoppert · 10/10 · 25 December 2011]

Makes you stop an think "What am I eating ? Food does matter, animals do matter, WTF is wrong with this world ?". I've always been a critic of vegetarians. I never understood why people would make such a great deal about eating meat. It is just natural , it is cultural and it is the base of almost every diet. Watch this movie if you want to star to understand what vegetarians and vegans are all about. It is ideological but it is more than just that. It might not change your mind, your habits or your diet but it does change you. It makes you more human and it makes you understand.

"If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be a vegetarian"

Good film for non-vegans & everybody who would like to learn about why veganism is 100% NECESSARY

[danielgrabowy · 7/10 · 20 September 2017]

At first I thought it was kind of cringy, the first couple of minutes just felt weird and I almost stopped watching. But after 10- 15 minutes the film starts to get more analytical, scientific and gets into more detail. That's when it gets really interesting. The information is very digestible, that's why I think this film is one of the best for people who don't know anything about this topic yet. As I am a bit more knowledgeable, I did not learn too much new stuff, but the images of how animals are being treated made me break down and cry my eyes out. Good reminder, as I tend to forget just how bad animals are being treated.

The film is more about the ethical parts of being vegan and - though it touches on them - less about the environmental and personal- health related parts.

If you have not watched any films on veganism or animal-products, I definitely recommend watching this film. If you do know all the basics you can easily skip this one.

Best vegan film out there!

[edwardsanchez-1 · 10/10 · 30 October 2011]

I'm so happy that vegans are getting spoilt for choice of movies to show their friends and educate them. Earthlings, Forks Over Knives, and now Vegucated.

Earthlings is the kind of movie that you show to the really stubborn person who really has no idea about the reality of the meat/egg/dairy industries. It has educated and inspired many people over the years to go vegetarian or vegans.

Forks Over Knives is mainly about the scientific discovery that animal protein is a potent carcinogen and that a plant based diet reduces your chances of getting western diseases such as cancer, diabetes, etc.

Vegucated covers both the above AND more! And what's best, it does it with style and comedy. If you can choose ONE film to show a friend, show this one!

For a no budget film this is really a great achievement and props to Marisa for taking her time to create this wonderful resource for vegans to educate their friends on this rather complex subject!

What if farms were just like the commercials

[MrMowji · 7/10 · 11 February 2018]

I think they focused more on what that can affect the minds instead of what could be the main reason. We see slaughterhouses, yes, they are brutal. I was a vegan and now I'm a vegetarian. For those who aren't veg, this question might occur: "But what if they weren't brutal?". No direct answer was mentioned. The second thing that was not so good about this documentary was the accessibility of vegan products for all people. For small cities, finding such products is hard or not possible, so that transition to veganism might not be as easy as they say.

Very informative and powerful

[greendayrox706 · 9/10 · 28 May 2013]

Unlike many other films I have seen that bash the meat/dairy industry, Vegucated seeks to inform the watcher instead of trying to shock the person or make them cry. Any film can create a "shock" factor, but Vegucated did an amazing job of telling the facts: why eating a plant- based diet is healthier and what exactly goes on at meat & dairy farms. The film takes 3 regular people in New York City who are willing to become Vegan, and they are informed about the benefits of a plant-based diet and are taught about what happens at dairy and meat farms. I showed this film to my friends and family, and while they still eat meat, they were very interested in hearing the information that Vegucated told, and they thought twice before eating their next steak. Personally, I was very affected by this film and I quit eating meat cold turkey and cut back on dairy. I have already lost 15 pounds in 2 months from doing nothing besides this, and my cholesterol levels have dropped significantly. I highly recommend this film to anyone who either wants to become Vegetarian/Vegan, or anyone who is interested in nutrition, the meat and dairy industries, and the FDA.

Not What I Expected

[alyssabean29 · 5/10 · 8 October 2016]

I love food documentaries, especially as motivation to eat a healthy diet. I had expected this one to really delve into the nutritional benefits of veganism and to give information on how to transition from an omnivore to vegan and maintain nutritional balance. What I got was a lot of the ethics of veganism and questionable nutritional recommendations.

There is a lot of footage of slaughterhouses and factory farms, and some interesting info on how they have changed and impact the environment. The footage is graphic and gross. However, there is no balance the other way, to also show how plant farming has changed in the last fifty years and the impact large scale farming has on the environment, other than how it relates to animal feed.

The participants were also given very little information on how to go vegan in a healthy way, and neither is the audience. The doc preaches about the health benefits of veganism. However, the participants are encouraged to simply replace their animal products with highly-processed vegan versions, and implies that processed foods that are vegan are better for you. This includes: Oreos, Teddy Graham's, Duncan Hines frosting, fake meat, and partially hydrogenated oil spreads. And they take this to heart...at the six week checkpoint, they couldn't be prouder of their highly processed vegan foods in their refrigerators. They were also expected to go vegan with little support outside of each other and select vegan advocates. As someone who eats a whole foods diet (though not a vegan one), this really threw me off the whole documentary. NO health documentary should be advocating for consumption of highly processed food, particularly when there is so much documentation that links them to just as many health issues as the host says the meat and dairy industry cause.

Thank you! Life Shifting!

[jbl-powers · 10/10 · 18 June 2014]

When I watched this video, I was looking to learn more about what it was to be vegan. This documentary is not only educational, but emotionally moving, brilliant, and funny. It drove me from a slight interest in the topic to 95% vegan (with that 5% decreasing with each passing day). Any time I desire to eat non-vegan, I remember one of the many great examples for driving a shift to this lifestyle.

The information in this video gave me the confidence and tools to convert and stay vegan for 6 months (and counting).

Thank you so much for all that you do! I truly appreciate the love that went into this great work!

Whom does this movie cater to?

[c-sai-dheeraj · 5/10 · 16 October 2012]

I think this movie is overrated especially because Vegans support such initiatives in the form of videos/documentaries and movies.

I'm a Vegan but that has no effect on my rating for this movie.

This movie doesn't seem to cater to any specific portion of the audience. Is it for people considering Veganism? Or is it for people who are already Vegans? It doesn't motivate you to a vegan diet more than tell you that you can be perfectly happy with a Vegan diet.

Its more of a Vegan experience video log than a movie or a documentary.

Though I support Veganism all the way and applaud this movie for that, I don't consider this to be a great documentary.

Time for the world to wake up to reality...

[sachab_uk · 9/10 · 8 May 2014]

Do you really know what's on your plate? I guess you don't if you are still eating meat and dairy products. Do you know how much suffering has been caused for you to have that steak on your plate, my guess is you'd rather not! Are you aware of the damage to the environment the meat/dairy industries are causing or do you think "it's not my problem!"...

Don't get me wrong if you want to eat meat and consume dairy products it is your choice, all I'm saying is be educated about it and watch Vegucated, then your choice will be an informed one rather than a blind one...

Bring a strong stomach

[Emory_Kris_Aaron · 8/10 · 8 May 2013]

I sat down to watch this with a friend, who is female, and felt like I did a number on her. Seemed like a nice little flick about some good looking blonde girl who lost some weight and wanted to share her insights about her new diet. There is a brief shot of her staring at her teevee while she grimaces over the (unseen) footage of factory farming, but then she is running around being cute and she gets some New Yorkers to try the vegan diet for six weeks. They eat their good bye meal to meat and animal products at a steak house . They good naturedly show what is in their fridges which is largely meat and dairy, or show their dad cooking up big piles of meat and lovin' it. It's all kind of fun and light hearted. Then, in the middle of the film she and her three recruits hit the movie theater to watch a documentary about factory farming. This time, you get to watch too. That night my friend had nightmares. I would say people who are the least bit squeamish need to prepare themselves. If you are an advocate of "ignorance is bliss" about where your meal comes from, skip this.

Informative Documentary

[lexiritter · 9/10 · 18 April 2016]

Marisa Miller Wolfson wanted to find three other people living in New York City who originally ate meat regularly and teach them to become vegan for six weeks. First of all, the concept for this movie was great because it already attracts a broader audience by appealing to many different people- not just vegans.

This documentary did a great job at explaining the importance of cutting animal food products out of someone's diet. I really enjoyed watching the movie because even though I am not a vegetarian or a vegan, it still succeeded in keeping the argument interesting. It sparked my interest by using real people and following around their lives. They continued to give realistic feedback that did not seem staged which made the movie more relatable. The three people in the movie were very down to earth and lived a similar lifestyle to me, and I'm sure other people, which helped prove the point of how simple it can be to change your eating habits. Also, the way Marisa interacted with the characters in a respectful and open-minded way made the documentary easier to enjoy. It never came across as if she was trying to pressure them to do something that they did not want to do.

Although this film was about cutting animal products out of your diet, it did not convince the audience by shocking them or causing them to become over emotional about the information. The documentary had many helpful facts and was more based on informing the audience rather than scaring them into the lifestyle. It had a different approach that worked better for me because it did not seem like Marisa was trying to shove veganism in my face.

There were many parts of the documentary that really stuck with me. For example, when all of them went to the factory farms and witnessed everything that happens to the animals that really opened my eyes and showed me how the animals were treated. Also, when they went to the grocery store to pick out vegan food and it was noticeable how many food items they could get. Overall, the movie did a fantastic job of making a very serious and critical issue seem relatable. It showed very important benefits that could help everyone realize how easy it is to switch to veganism.

Biased uneducated

[graphicsday · 2/10 · 2 October 2013]

I think if you are going to try to educate people on something you should be educated yourself. They were eating marshmallows which have gelatin (animal biproduct)

They didn't touch on the human killing of farm animals done in certain cultures or "small" farms. A small farm is not a place with 3000 chickens.....biased.biased.

Over cooked soy can produce carcinogens...gmo vegan food is just as bad as animal fat...its about balance and making your own choices

Tell both sides of the story not just one.

I love vegetables and meat..and I am aware of what I am eating.

Vegucated is a great movie to watch!

[tgrospin · 9/10 · 15 November 2016]

I personally loved this movie. It taught me a lot about what it truly means to eat meat. It changed my outlook on a lot of what I am eating. I think that it should be completely up to the person whether he or she wants to eat meat or not - but this movie is definitely worth watching first before making that decision. Not only do I feel being a vegan is extremely beneficial to society, but it also can help an individual maintain a much healthier diet, as shown in the movie. I enjoyed how three random people were chosen and offered to try this path of being vegan. It really inspired me and contained a lot of interesting facts and moments throughout the movie.

Meat Madness - Vegan Propaganda

[lynstly · 1/10 · 3 July 2014]

My big problem with this "documentary" is that it presents itself as more of an anti-meat propaganda film than a serious scientific documentary. Vegucated took an extremely biased approach to veganism and the meat industry. The filmmaker chose to show us nothing but the most fantastic aspects of the meat-packing industry. The pretentious narrative was also very obnoxious. The three people picked for the "study" from Craigslist were laughably suggestible. The film would have been far more interesting if they had picked some people whose values weren't based on the direction of the wind. It's very frustrating to watch a film that claims to be a documentary and even uses the educational motif when it turns out to be nothing more than pro-vegan anti-meat fear-mongering and brainwashing. People should eat what they chose to without feeling the need to be validated or pressure others to adopt their choices.

A mild favoritism towards veganism/vegetarianism would have been completely acceptable but this film didn't even entertain the fact that meat, in moderation, is entirely healthy, viable, and in many cases necessary, in the human diet. I chuckled when they went to the vegan market proudly advertising cigarettes on their marquee. It was also interesting to watch them go from talking about how healthy the vegan diet is and then go straight to saying that double-stuffed Oreos can be part of it. The fact is that there is absolutely nothing natural or necessarily healthy about veggie burgers, tofu, or veganaise. Had this film had taken a more unbiased and scientific approach it would have been credible to those of us who can think for ourselves.

Good documentary on why veganism is the way to go.

[loopyka · 8/10 · 13 December 2016]

Vegucated (2011) Cast: Tesla Fobo, Brian Flegel, Ellen Masuner, and Marisa Wolfson Director: Marisa Wolfson Summary: Vegucated follows three meat eaters as they try to convert to a vegan diet for six weeks. The movie explores the many challenges that goes along with a vegan diet and how they aren't all that difficult to overcome. The documentary addresses the poor conditions and inhumane treatment of animals in slaughterhouses and farms. Review: Vegetarianism and veganism is a lifestyle choice that is becoming more and more popular. The transition is difficult however and Marisa Wolfson challenged three meat eaters to attempt to maintain a vegan diet for six weeks. To clarify: Vegan is not eating any meat or any products that come from animals (dairy, eggs, etc.) They did a good job (and was sure to let you know that they did) in choosing three people from different backgrounds and lifestyles. Tesla was a Hispanic woman who ate a lot of traditional meat dishes, Brian is a white man who loved his breakfast meats and ate out a lot, and Ellen was a busy single mother who frequently made frozen meals for her family. The documentary shifted from showing the three participants eating vegan dishes and adjusting to the new lifestyle, to facts and stories regarding veganism and why that is the "right" choice. Vegucated did a very good job at getting the pros of veganism across. There were plenty of statistics proving the health benefits associated with the vegan diet. It's hard to ignore the fact that in countries like China where significantly less meat is eaten, the rate of diabetes and heart disease is much lower. The second main point was the deplorable treatment of livestock while in the slaughterhouse, or in the industrial sized farms where they are raised. A multitude of things done to them like being castrated with no anesthesia and being thrown into a grinder alive are meant to tug at the heart strings, and are very effective. Their last argument was the effect it has on the environment and these points were not explained very well. The narrator mentions that cows and pigs release methane when they breathe or pass gas. An issue with that is that Vegucated doesn't say that the increase in meat consumption has increased the number of those animals. I'm assuming it is implied but that fact would have backed up one of the main bullet points, so leaving that out did them no favors. Vegucated was made to sway you towards veganism and it did a great job of it. It made me question eating meat, which means it succeeded. Health benefits and moral conflicts are powerful tools and Vegucated utilizes them both well, with facts to back it up (for the most part.) This is very educational and well worth an hour of someone's time.

Life changing

[kerryanps · 10/10 · 19 July 2017]

First, thank you so much for taking all the time and effort to create Vegucated. It truly changed my life. I was so uneducated about what happened behind the scenes when it came to how animals/fowl became table food. I had a feeling it was bad and was like "Out of site, out of mind" which I think most people feel the same. After watching this, it made me realized how utterly clueless I was. I cannot imagine how people work at these places, how do they sleep at night? I wish I could stand on the roof tops and yell out to people what is really going on! This video should be mandatory to be seen by everyone. Again, thank you for being the person who literally changed my life and me becoming a Vegan. You are amazing!

Informative documentary on vegan-ism

[lyndseyruthstone · 8/10 · 9 December 2016]

I have always been skeptical of vegan-ism and vegetarianism, but "Vegucated" opened my eyes to what these lifestyles/diets really were. I thought that to be a vegan you weren't allowed to eat basically anything except raw vegetables. It turns out that, shown in the film, there are so many products that are vegan edible, like Oreos for an example! "Vegucated" changed my mind in thinking that being a vegan or a vegetarian is basically impossible to wanting to try it in college. Not only does the film show how easy it can be to become a vegan, but it also gives reasons as to why someone would. These random people discover how healthy, logical and easy it is to be vegan. I recommend anyone who has questions about or is interested in vegan-ism to watch "Vegucated"!

Not a step in the right direction, when it gets a lot of things wrong!!

[M_n89 · 5/10 · 5 January 2020]

First off, no documentary is 100% fact based and true as people's emotions, level of knowledge and personal preferences will affect the overall result. So I was not expecting perfection. However this documentary gets many things wrong.

I feel that the producers/writers have good intentions and have a desire to improve people's health and the environment, but they simply need more education and reading on the topics before they give advice.

In short, here are the things that they got right AND what they left out:

WHAT THEY GOT RIGHT:

1. Animals are treated inhumanely and suffer great pain through modernized farming practices, in which they are treated as a number and valued based on the profit they produce. They go through tremendous physical and emotional pain their whole lives up until they are slaughtered for food.

2. Vegans suffer from less heart disease or other chronic conditions. (but I will discuss the reason)

3. Eating fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds are great for your body. They are full of nutrients and fiber. Nuts are high in fats, but they are good fats and that is what we want. _______

WHAT THEY GOT WRONG OR LEFT OUT:

1. There are many Organic and free range farms that DO raise their animals humanely. If we as consumers chose to only buy those products and support local sustainable and ethical farms, even if that means paying more money initially, then eventually we would change the system. It takes two to tango.

2. Vegans suffer from less chronic diseases but it is not because they eliminate meat. There are a few reasons for this such as vegans generally being more mindful of what they eat as they become more educated about food and how it is processed. For instance, after they learn more about the origin of food and how it is processed and they learn about GMO's, chemicals, carcinogens, etc. They will make healthier choices in general.

The other reason is, that vegans will eat a lot more fruits, veggies, seeds and nuts, which are full of nutrients and fiber and nourish your body very well and fight disease. But if someone who ate meat, eggs and bacon on a regular basis, also ate as much of these unrefiend plant foods, they will see similar results.

3. The biggest thing they got wrong was that saturated fat and cholesterol from animal products cause atherosclerosis( clogging of the arteries) and heart disease. This is outdated advice based on epidemiological studies done in the 50's and 60's, mostly done by Ancel keys, and that have been debunked many times through recent clinical trials and a closer look at the data. Recent Data have clearly proven the biggest cause of Obesity, heart disease, clogged arteries and diabetes(diseases that usually accompany each other in the same individual, known as "metabolic syndrome") are SUGAR and REFINED CARBOHYDRATES. Unfortunately Veganism does not eliminate these foods at all. Most vegans eat even more of these dangerous foods, as they look to replace the calories from animal products with other sources.

If you would like to learn more about this topic read: "The big fat surprise" and "Why we get fat and what to do about it"

4. During the transition phase, as they call it in the movie, what they recommended was to buy vegan imitations. Vegan cheese, Vegan ham, Vegan hot dogs, etc. These foods are HIGHLY processed with more than 20 ingredients if you read their labels and are worse than the supposedly "bad" foods they are trying to replace. Moreover they are usually made with soy and textured vegetable protein which is bad for you for a host of reasons. On top of that it is most likely GMO, as 94% of all US soy is. ___ Bottom line:

I feel this could have been way better, by discussing topics such as the effects of unrefined plant foods on the body and how they can help improve health. Topics such as fiber, antioxidants and micro nutrients come to mind.

A focus on eating whole foods and eliminating processed foods would have been another great message.

Hopefully the producers/ writers will improve upon their work in the future.

By the way, this was my first review, but I felt obligated to share my opinion. Excuse the grammar or the way I structured it.

Max

Entertaining ng and thought provoking

[lornamd-1 · 10/10 · 11 April 2020]

Very interesting film. Worth watching even if you have no interest in being Vegetarian just to make you think and help you learn while also being entertained