The United States of Insanity Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

The United States of Insanity Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf April 14, 2024

Insane Clown Posse. For outsiders, there are only a few things known about the rap group. They wear clown makeup everywhere they go, there’s some type of obsession with a Detroit soda brand Faygo, and they have no idea how magnets work. 2021’s “The United States of Insanity” isn’t out to provide an extensive understanding of Insane Clown Posse and their inner workings, with directors Tom Putnam and Brenna Sanchez focusing on their legal entanglements. The documentary follows their fight to pull the fan nickname “Juggalo” off the FBI’s list of dangerous gangs, with members Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope going apoplectic as they confront a serious challenge to their first amendment rights. “The United States of Insanity” explores the Juggalo way, identifying the very real people hurt by this designation, with many simply out to enjoy the horrorcore hip-hop group and the loyal community that’s been created to celebrate all things Insane Clown Posse.

Sadly, the magnet question remains unanswered in the picture.

“The United States of Insanity” opens in 2014, with Insane Clown Posse launching a lawsuit against the FBI to help remove the Juggalos from a list of organized gangs. It’s a major legal move from the group, and Putnam and Sanchez set out to understand how it all got to this level of craziness. Some biographical information is shared, with Violent J starting life as Joseph Bruce, the youngest son of Linda, who details years of struggling in Detroit, dealing with low-income challenges and terrible men, with the trauma helping to shape Bruce’s personality. He found a friend in Joseph Utsler (the future Shaggy 2 Dope), creating a kid collective known as The Floobs, enjoying adventures with their unsupervised childhood. Such mischief eventually led to a love of professional wrestling, including the introduction of their own organization, National All Star Wrestling, dazzling the locals with backyard brawls built out of found items.

Dealing with rough neighborhoods and abuse at home, Bruce and Utsler found their way to gang life, though Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope work hard to laugh off these years as child’s play, perhaps fearful of connecting their own criminal activities to the ones the FBI is accusing the Juggalos of committing. It’s a strange detour in “The United States of Insanity,” and it’s basically the end of information provided about their upbringing, with the world of rap soon calling, turning the boys into clowns. Some music appreciation is supplied in the picture, with Insane Clown Posse listing Michael Jackson, N.W.A., and Pearl Jam as their influences, spending more time with their on-stage presentation than sharpening their sound. Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope turned to the clown look for a gimmick, and it worked, creating a signature style that involved rainbow wigs, face paint, and the spraying of Faygo (the men have switched to Diet Faygo in their middle-age), unleashing Insane Clown Posse on the world.

Missing from “The United States of Insanity” is some form of discography, with the documentary taking a turn into the legal fight between Insane Clown Posse and the U.S. Government. At first, Juggalo identification was a source of amusement and family pride, but the turn into gang affiliation changed everything, with Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope learning of arrests and harassment happening in the wild, often triggered by a spotting of the band’s “Hatchetman” logo. The most interesting addition to “The United States of Insanity” is time with the Juggalos, meeting the people who, in some cases, have dedicated their entire lives to celebrating Insane Clown Posse. This includes Shawn in Arizona, who’s raised his children in the Juggalo way, also amassing a major collection of memorabilia. There’s Natalie from Ohio, who was a well-liked elderly care worker agreeing to be followed by Putnam and Sanchez, only to lose her job when her employers learned of the documentary’s subject (this situation certainly deserves more screen time than the feature allows). And there’s Farris, a die-hard Juggalo who’s also a lawyer, happily offering his services to help Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope, called into action during the FBI fight.

The United States of Insanity Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation offers a decently sharp viewing experience, with "The United States of Insanity" captured on commercial grade cameras. Interview time provides textured skin particulars and fibrous clothing, and makeup application is appreciable. Housing tours offer a clear look at decorative additions. Community tours and festival visits are dimensional. Colors are vivid, working with the clown painted world of ICP and their graphic designs. Primaries are sharp, with bold reds and blues throughout. Skin tones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory. Compression has its issues, with banding periodic.

The United States of Insanity Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix offers a basic understanding of interviewees, with various levels of passion and enunciation easy to understand. Music is present throughout most of the documentary, retaining sharp instrumentation and vocal clarity. Musical moods push out into the surrounds in a basic way, with some extra immersion for performance sequences and soundtrack selections. Low-end delivers milder rap beats.

The United States of Insanity Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• "Special Intro from ICP" (1:50, HD) presents "thoughts on the Constitution" from Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope, who actually read part of the document but have no idea how to interpret it.

• Commentary features director Tom Putnam.

• Deleted and Extended Scenes (HD) include "Auction Tent" (1:20), "Bazooka Joey" (2:35), "Juggalo Justin" (2:22), "Costume Contest" (1:31), "Creative Juggalos" (3:16), "Faygo Throwing Contest" (1:04), "Hallowicked Setup" (2:07), "High School Gang Fights" (1:51), "ICP at Amoeba Records" (1:29), "ICP Driving Tour of Detroit" (6:54), "ICP in Studio" (2:17), "ICP Seminar" (1:15), "Deer Humping" (:39), and "Jesus Loves Juggalos" (1:08).

• Special Concert Footage (15:34, HD) welcomes viewers to the "Dark Carnival," with Insane Clow Posse taking the stage to perform some tunes and absolutely drench themselves and the first few rows with Faygo.

• T.V. Spots (:52, HD) offer two commercials for "United States of Insanity."

• And a Teaser Trailer (1:00, HD) and Theatrical Trailer (1:59, HD) are included.

The United States of Insanity Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"The United States of Insanity" is out to support Insane Clown Posse, refusing a deep dive into the explicit lyrics and violent video imagery of the group, basically positioning graphic, angry endeavors as something akin to Stephen King novels. Putnam and Sanchez are more interested in identifying the tactics of media sensationalism and tracking the development of the legal war, which pushes the feature into irritating repetition at times, especially when the directors turn to Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope to articulate their concerns. Whatever the opposite of illuminating is, it would be their interview segments. Money issues are introduced and forgotten, and family life is strictly limited to Violent J, who needs Insane Clown Posse merchandising to maintain his lifestyle. However, "The United States of Insanity" remains close to courtroom issues, and Putnam and Sanchez work to turn their film into a study of free speech and American life. There's true entertainment value in visiting the fans and learning more about the headaches involved in mounting the "Gathering of the Juggalos" festival, providing a glimpse into the subculture and its colorful characters. Such focus on personality, passion, and pride ends up more interesting than anything found in the courtroom.