Documentary backdrop image for The Real Cost (2021)

Documentary backdrop image for The Real Cost (2021)

202174 minPGdocumentary

3.0/ 10(1 rating)• TMDB

Education Financial Crisis

The Real Cost

202174 minPGdocumentary

3.0/ 10(1 rating)• TMDB

1.8 trillion dollars in student loan debt affects over 40 million Americans, impacting their ability to achieve life goals and prompting calls for reform.

Education Financial Crisis

Genres

Director

Synopsis

1.8 trillion dollars in student loan debt affects over 40 million Americans, impacting their ability to achieve life goals and prompting calls for reform.

People

Sam Menendezdirector

Sam Menendezwriter

Melanie Hansoncast

Constantine Yanneliscast

Elizabeth Shermercast

Synopsis

In a stark portrayal of financial hardship, "The Real Cost" follows individuals grappling with student loan debt totaling $1.8 trillion. Over 40 million Americans face challenges in pursuing life goals due to this burden. Director Sam Menendez presents personal stories alongside statistics, illustrating how the education crisis impacts economic stability in the United States. The film calls for reform to alleviate the financial strain on those affected.

Comments

What are people saying?

Play More Like This

Inside Job (2010)

Inside Job

2010•1h49m•★7.7TMDB

Over $20 trillion in losses resulted from the 2008 financial crisis, leading to millions of foreclosures and job losses across the United States.

The True Cost (2015)

The True Cost

2015•1h32m•★7.5TMDB

Andrew Morgan's 2015 film examines the effects of the fashion industry on individuals and the environment.

Is the Student Debt System Sustainable? (2017)

Is the Student Debt System Sustainable?

The student debt system in the United States faces sustainability challenges, with an 85% increase in seriously delinquent loans from 2003 to 2016.

Is the Student Debt System Sustainable?

The Weight of the Nation (2012)

The Weight of the Nation

2012•4h•★5.8TMDB

More than 18% of children in the United States are classified as obese, prompting discussions on health risks and potential solutions to the obesity crisis.

The Weight of the Nation

The Staggering Cost of the Never-Ending War on Terror (2023)

The Staggering Cost of the Never-Ending War on Terror

Trillions of dollars have been spent on the war on terrorism, raising questions about its effectiveness in making civilians safer worldwide.

The Staggering Cost of the Never-Ending War on Terror

Poverty after the Pandemic: Americans in Corona-Fueled Economic Crisis (2021)

Poverty after the Pandemic: Americans in Corona-Fueled Economic Crisis

Middle-class Americans, like Marc and Selene, face dire economic challenges after the pandemic, struggling with poverty and unexpected medical expenses.

Poverty after the Pandemic: Americans in Corona-Fueled Economic Crisis

Inside the Epic Political Battle Over the Debt Ceiling in 2012 (documentary) (2022)

Inside the Epic Political Battle Over the Debt Ceiling in 2012 (documentary)

87 new Republican freshmen entered Congress in 2011, bringing a strong desire to change Washington amid a looming debt ceiling crisis.

Inside the Epic Political Battle Over the Debt Ceiling in 2012 (documentary)

USA on the Brink of Chaos: How Americans Are Living the End of the American Dream (2023)

USA on the Brink of Chaos: How Americans Are Living the End of the American Dream

2.5 million workers in California lost their jobs at the height of the pandemic, forcing many middle-class families to seek food assistance.

USA on the Brink of Chaos: How Americans Are Living the End of the American Dream

University Debt: The New Global Economic War (2022)

University Debt: The New Global Economic War

104,000 dollars in student loans burden one individual, reflecting the growing financial strain on students in a competitive global education market.

University Debt: The New Global Economic War

What Killed The American Middle Class? (Financial Crash Documentary) (2019)

What Killed The American Middle Class? (Financial Crash Documentary)

Three-quarters of all Americans struggle to meet their monthly expenses, revealing the financial difficulties faced by the middle class.

What Killed The American Middle Class? (Financial Crash Documentary)

Louis Theroux Explores America's Strangest City Full Of Dangerous Dogs (2026)

Louis Theroux Explores America's Strangest City Full Of Dangerous Dogs

In Los Angeles, Louis Theroux meets dog owners and enthusiasts whose lives are intertwined with the city's unique and often dangerous canine culture.

Louis Theroux Explores America's Strangest City Full Of Dangerous Dogs

The Receptionist: Caridad Cerbito Morales (2025)

The Receptionist: Caridad Cerbito Morales

In a rural pension house in the Philippines, 77-year-old Caridad Cerbito Morales navigates life as a widow while longing to reconnect with her estranged child.

The Receptionist: Caridad Cerbito Morales

Explore The Real Cost

Trailer People Topics FAQ Stream

Where else to watch

Inside Job (2010)

Inside Job

2010•1h49m•★7.7TMDB

Over $20 trillion in losses resulted from the 2008 financial crisis, leading to millions of foreclosures and job losses across the United States.

No digital watch option in your country

Ivory Tower (2014)

Ivory Tower

2014•1h37m•★7.1TMDB

Tuition rates have increased more than any other service in the United States, raising questions about the value of higher education.

I.O.U.S.A. (2008)

I.O.U.S.A.

2008•1h25m•★7.0TMDB

$9.6 trillion in national debt equates to $30,000 for every American, raising concerns about the country's financial future.

Education, Education (2012)

Education, Education

2012•59m•★8.2TMDB

Students in China face intense pressure to gain admission to state-sponsored universities, where the consequences of failure can be severe.

Education, Education

Overdose: The Next Financial Crisis (2010)

Overdose: The Next Financial Crisis

2010•47m•★6.8TMDB

Trillions of dollars were injected into the banking system as governments and central banks responded to the global financial crisis.

Overdose: The Next Financial Crisis

After Truth: Disinformation and the Cost of Fake News (2020)

After Truth: Disinformation and the Cost of Fake News

2020•1h35m•★6.6TMDB

Dash-cam footage captures Edgar Maddison Welch driving with a high-powered gun to Comet Ping Pong pizzeria, believing in a fabricated child sex slave ring.

After Truth: Disinformation and the Cost of Fake News

In Debt We Trust: America Before the Bubble Bursts (2007)

In Debt We Trust: America Before the Bubble Bursts

2007•1h37m•★6.2TMDB

Over 15 million Americans faced house repossessions in the years leading up to the 2008 financial crisis, driven by a culture of credit dependency.

In Debt We Trust: America Before the Bubble Bursts

Drug$ (2018)

Drug$

2018•1h20m•★9.2TMDB

Soaring prescription drug prices in the United States have led to widespread struggles for patients seeking access to lifesaving medications.

School for Hope (2024)

School for Hope

2024•1h22m•★10.0TMDB

Animari and Zlatko aim to secure funding to expand their program and establish a high school for children from disadvantaged backgrounds in Serbia.

School for Hope

Browse more like this

The Staggering Cost of the Never-Ending War on Terror (2023)

The Staggering Cost of the Never-Ending War on Terror

Trillions of dollars have been spent on the war on terrorism, raising questions about its effectiveness in making civilians safer worldwide.

The Staggering Cost of the Never-Ending War on Terror

No digital watch option in your country

Inside the Epic Political Battle Over the Debt Ceiling in 2012 (documentary) (2022)

Inside the Epic Political Battle Over the Debt Ceiling in 2012 (documentary)

87 new Republican freshmen entered Congress in 2011, bringing a strong desire to change Washington amid a looming debt ceiling crisis.

Inside the Epic Political Battle Over the Debt Ceiling in 2012 (documentary)

No digital watch option in your country

Louis Theroux Explores America's Strangest City Full Of Dangerous Dogs (2026)

Louis Theroux Explores America's Strangest City Full Of Dangerous Dogs

In Los Angeles, Louis Theroux meets dog owners and enthusiasts whose lives are intertwined with the city's unique and often dangerous canine culture.

Louis Theroux Explores America's Strangest City Full Of Dangerous Dogs

No digital watch option in your country

Jekyll Island, The Truth Behind The Federal Reserve (2013)

Jekyll Island, The Truth Behind The Federal Reserve

2013•2h6m•★8.5TMDB

A secretive meeting in 1910 on Jekyll Island led to the creation of the Federal Reserve System, shaping U.S. monetary policy and national debt.

Jekyll Island, The Truth Behind The Federal Reserve

Overdraft (2012)

Overdraft

2012•57m•★7.0TMDB

America's national debt has reached over $16 trillion, prompting discussions on entitlement programs, defense spending, and tax reform.

Debt Begins at 20 (1980)

Debt Begins at 20

1980•38m•★6.0TMDB

In Pittsburgh, young adults confront financial challenges related to student loans and credit card debt, highlighting the urgent need for financial literacy and planning.

Debt Begins at 20

Dancing Through Life: The Dorothy Toy Story (2017)

Dancing Through Life: The Dorothy Toy Story

2017•26m•★10.0TMDB

At 99 years old, Dorothy Toy Fong continues to perform, demonstrating her lifelong dedication to tap dance and the joy it brings to audiences.

Dancing Through Life: The Dorothy Toy Story

Is this your film?

If you made this film or hold the rights to it, we'd like to talk. We can license it and pay you a share of what it earns.

License it with us →