Born Rich

Aspiring filmmaker Jamie Johnson, 20-year-old heir to the Johnson & Johnson fortune, interviews extravagantly wealthy young people (like himself) about the benefits and drawbacks of growing up in so rarefied and protected an atmosphere in Born Rich, a documentary that underscores the fact that while the rich may be different, they are not necessarily interesting. Among the nine subjects Johnson selected for inclusion are Georgianna Bloomberg and Ivanka Trump, but by far the most appealing are Josiah Hornblower, of the Vanderbilt/Whitney line, and S.I. Newhouse IV, heir to the media conglomerate, who both seem genuinely conflicted over their unearned riches and the social obligations that come with them. (Luke Weil, the heir to a gaming fortune, offers more facile observations, though his last-minute legal effort to halt the film's release adds some welcome drama to the final act.) Born Rich contains no startling revelations about the silver spoon crowd, and it's difficult to muster much sympathy for even the most likable of the subjects when they complain about distant parents or hostile classmates. Technically, moreover, the production is mediocre, with haphazard camerawork and editing. Still, Born Rich sheds some light--superficial though it might be--on a segment of American society usually encountered only in the tabloids, and is therefore sure to be popular. DVD extras include audio commentary (by Johnson, textile heir Cody Franchetti, and producer Dirk Wittenborn), as well as some (understandably) deleted scenes. Optional. Aud: P. (F. Swietek)