Alex Gibney has spent his career taking apart larger-than-life figures, from Enron executives to Elizabeth Holmes. His latest subject is Elon Musk, and the result is a documentary simply titled“Musk,”clocking in at three hours and forty-five minutes. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival and arrives in theaters October 16.
Musk himself never sat down for Gibney. In his place, the film uses an AI-generated avatar, one of several stylistic choices that have sparked debate on their own. Through interviews with his exes, his father Errol, journalists, and former business associates, Gibney builds an argument that Musk is a confidence man whose wealth and influence rest on inflated stock and a self-mythology he has carefully crafted. The film also examines his time at DOGE, Tesla’s self-driving safety record, and alleged texts about lasers in space. Musk’s lawyer has called the documentary defamatory and threatened legal action.
Whether you see this as a necessary reckoning or an overlong hit piece probably depends on what you already think about Musk. But it’s already one of the most talked-about releases of the fall, and it will almost certainly come up at your next dinner. So, are you team“I’ve already made up my mind”or team“I’ll watch and decide”? Let us know.
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.