The Ringmaster

2020 • 88 minutes

About this movie

Upon his grandfathers death, a recovering gambling addict uses his inheritance to make a documentary about well-known onion rings from his childhood and the beloved Minnesotan chef who makes them. His project changes drastically when this fledgling filmmaker becomes hellbent on improving the humble fry cooks life, despite discovering his subject wants nothing to do with the film. The movie becomes something else entirely when the crew members secretly turn the cameras on the filmmaker, documenting his efforts and failures over a three year journey.

Ratings and reviews

The Ringmaster is a complete package of a film. It encompasses everything that makes a compelling story. The film is full of humor, real human drama, intrigue, unpredictability, and heart. It is ultimately a human movie that is about real life. It's also nearly impossible to summarize neatly. This film starts off as a surface level story about one chef's regionally famous onion rings. Part way through the film the story shifts perspectives in a truly unexpected way. The documentary ends up being a meta reflection on the ethics of documentary filmmaking. It is bound to spawn countless debates, think pieces, and discussions about the separation between filmmaker and subject.

This film deserves way more attention then it has right now. Really well done and mind you I don't really like onion rings but it was still one of those flicks you watch and it's like okay where is this going then it takes this major turn. Wild wild wild wild wilddddddddd! Me and my friends can't stop talking about this film. Grab some onion rings and watch The Ringmaster

Crazy plot twist. One of the best documentaries i've seen in a long time. Seemed like a normal food documentary about onion rings then it really changes up on you. I was glued to the screen right to the end. Well done to the filmmaker for making this and glad to see that they are donating some of the proceeds to Alzheimer's research. Watch now