The Queen Mother of all dirty words (as it was once described by
Jean Shepherd) is examined through all its linguistic, sociological, legal, and ethical implications in this documentary. Filmmaker
Steven Anderson interviews dozens of people about the history and function of "the F word," including language historians who have a hard time nailing down its origin, writers (including
Hunter S. Thompson and
Ben Bradlee) who talk about its role in literature and press freedom, comedians (among them
Drew Carey,
Janeane Garofalo, and
Billy Connolly) who ponder its frequent presence in hipster humor, pop musicians (such as
Ice-T,
Pat Boone, and
Alanis Morissette) who offer their theories about its role in contemporary culture, and social critics (including
Michael Medved and
Dennis Prager) who believe its currency is taking America into a dangerous place.
F*ck also includes footage of famous figures caught using the word unexpectedly and animated sequences by
Bill Plympton. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide