Vice Is Broke
There was a time in the late 90s and early 00s when Vice was an edgy magazine that published how-to guides on sex and satirical editorials. Its punk rock attitude captured the zeitgeist of a generation, turning the company from a counterculture zine into a multi-billion-dollar media company. Simultaneously, a combination of egotistical personalities, poor management and plain old corporate greed saw the outlet flounder. At the centre of it all was Eddie Huang, a chef, writer and director who hosted his own travel show (Huang’s World) on the network. He sets out to explore the reasons behind Vice’s rise and fall in documentary Vice Is Broke. It’s a chaotic collection of loosely connected talking points that never quite form a coherent through line. But by sticking to the DIY journalism style that Vice became known for, it’s hard not to admire Huang’s dedication.
After a brief introduction to Vice’s history and culture, the feature starts by addressing one of the business’s most controversial points: it was co-founded by far-right commentator Gavin McInnes, who’d go on to form notorious hate group The Proud Boys. The film then becomes a quasi-character study of McInnes, characterising him as an “edgelord” who aimed to shock with offensive humour during his time at the magazine. Discussions between Huang and former employees dance around the topic of when comedy can go too far, but these concerns are largely glossed over in favour of framing McInnes as a cult of personality. Even when he sits down for an interview, the filmmaker continues to present him as a provocateur performing to an audience.
The film continues to bounce from one talking point to the next as it moves forward. Whether it’s the company’s lack of journalistic integrity when putting out sensationalist video content, or its laundry list of shady business practices, none of these segments are afforded the time to become fully developed points. However, as this multitude of anecdotal accounts and evidence of wrongdoings accumulates, Huang begins to paint an overarching picture of the toxic environment and catastrophic corporate mismanagement that was happening behind the scenes.
Although Vice Is Broke is chaotic and rough around the edges, by taking a page from Vice’s punk philosophy, Huang tells a cautionary tale of what happens when corporate greed meets bad business.
Andrew Murray
Vice Is Broke is released on 29th August 2025.
Watch the trailer for Vice Is Broke here:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
YouTube
RSS