Morgan Spurlock, who brought us the Academy Award nominated Super Size Me, has a new documentary series on FX called 30 Days.
First in the series is Minimum Wage, in which Spurlock and his fiancée Alex live 30 days like America’s working poor. That means starting the month with no car, no cell phones, no credit cards, no furniture (which was fine since they had no place to live) and no health insurance.
Minimum Wage is an affecting portrait of two people struggling to make ends meet — all the while knowing that doing it for 30 days with a safety net is nothing compared to living that way month after month with no backup.
Think Preston Sturges’ Sullivan’s Travels without the star filters. Sturges made a fine, altruistic and heartwarmingly comic drama (still worth watching as far as we’re concerned). Spurlock’s show is equally human but grimly sad. What the two share is a subtle call to action.
Wanna know how many days you would last on a minimum wage job? Use the Minimum Wage Calculator on the FX website (and pray you don’t get sick or injured).
Minimum Wage airs again on Saturday, June 18 at midnight Eastern and Pacific and Sunday, June 19 at 11 pm Eastern and Pacific.
For extra credit, record Minimum Wage and pass it among your coworkers and friends.
