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The White House Effect

Play trailer Poster for The White House Effect 2024,  1h 36m,  Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
Stream Now Watchlist 94% 17 Reviews Tomatometer - - Popcornmeter
94% Tomatometer 17 Reviews Popcornmeter
Exploring the dramatic origin story of the climate crisis and how a political battle in the George H.W. Bush administration changed the course of history.
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Where to Watch

The White House Effect

Netflix

Watch The White House Effect with a subscription on Netflix.

Critics Reviews

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Peter Rainer FilmWeek (LAist) Nov 10, 2025
An interesting case history in flubs. Go to Full Review
Alissa Wilkinson New York Times Oct 31, 2025
It’s not easy to make an archival documentary... But “The White House Effect” is a good example of why it’s worth it, and why it’s worth preserving our archives, too. Go to Full Review
Derek Smith Slant Magazine Oct 26, 2025
2.5/4
The film meticulously yet concisely probes how, why, and when our understanding of the greenhouse effect went from a scientific certainty to it being up for debate. Go to Full Review
Bethan Ackerley New Scientist Feb 8, 2026
Watching The White House Effect is a smothering experience. It will leave you embittered... And if the film is a polemic, it’s a necessary one, designed to shake us from apathy and stagnation by any means possible – or necessary. Go to Full Review
Alex Southey That Shelf Nov 25, 2025
If one seeks a fact-based, thorough, yet darkly thrilling and convincing walk-through of the history of the climate crisis, The White House Effect is it. Go to Full Review
Stephen Silver The SS Ben Hecht Nov 8, 2025
I was certainly not expecting a documentary this year about the behind-the-scenes intrigue of the George H.W. Bush White House, and how the wrong side won that dispute and it had terrible consequences for humanity. Go to Full Review
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Cast & Crew

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Bonni Cohen

Director

Pedro Kos

Director

Jon Shenk

Director

Bonni Cohen

Writer

Pedro Kos

Writer

Jon Shenk

Writer

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The White House Effect

The White House Effect (2024) The White House Effect (2024) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Exploring the dramatic origin story of the climate crisis and how a political battle in the George H.W. Bush administration changed the course of history.
Director
Bonni Cohen, Pedro Kos, Jon Shenk
Producer
Bonni Cohen, Justine Nagan, Josh Penn, Jon Shenk, Noah Stahl
Screenwriter
Bonni Cohen, Pedro Kos, Jon Shenk
Distributor
Netflix
Production Co
Betsy and Jesse Fink Foundation, Cinereach, Caldwell Fisher Family Foundation, Plot Shift Media, Department of Motion Pictures, Far Star Media, Actual Films, Impact Partners, Walking Softer, 2 Sq Ft
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 31, 2025
Runtime
1h 36m
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