Fuck (2005 film)
Fuck (stylized as F★CK) is a 2005 American documentary directed by Steve Anderson about the word "fuck" and its role in discussions of自由, speech, and censorship. The film asks why a single word can provoke so much debate and explores its use in art, language, society, and comedy.
The documentary features many well-known interview subjects, including writers, comedians, journalists, musicians, and public figures. It includes the last recorded interview with Hunter S. Thompson before his death and is dedicated to him. The film traces the word’s history and evolution, explains that its earliest written appearance was in a 1475 poem, and dispels myths that it began as an acronym. It covers how the word gained power through taboo and its changing status in the 20th century. The film also looks at famous moments in culture where the word appeared, from performances and films to television and literature.
In addition to interviews, the documentary includes archival footage and animations by Bill Plympton. It features segments from the 1965 anti-pornography film Perversion for Profit and a SpongeBob SquarePants clip that notes the word can be used as a sentence enhancer. The word is used 857 times in the film, which also references how public attitudes toward it reflect broader changes in society and media censorship.
Production and release details: The film was produced by Mudflap Films and Rainstorm Entertainment and distributed by THINKFilm. It premiered at the AFI Film Festival on November 7, 2005, and opened in the United States on November 10, 2006. It was unrated by the MPAA, in part because of its title and content. The title presented marketing challenges, and the film was sometimes advertised with euphemisms like “The Four-Letter Word Film.”
Reception: Fuck received mixed reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, it held about 56% approval with an average rating around 5.8/10. Metacritic gave it a score around 58/100. Some critics praised the movie for examining free speech and the word’s cultural significance, while others found it repetitive or heavy-handed. The Washington Post, The New York Times, and other outlets offered a range of opinions on its structure, length, and argumentative approach.
Home media and reach: The DVD was released on February 13, 2007, with extras including director commentary, interviews, deleted scenes, and a running counter of utterances of the word. The film screened at many festivals worldwide and played on television channels such as Showtime and the Documentary Channel. It has been used as a teaching resource in university courses about language, culture, and media.
Impact and discussion: The documentary spurred discussion about taboo language, freedom of expression, and how society handles offensive words. It is cited in academic analyses of taboo language and its role in culture, and it is noted for highlighting the complexity behind the use and perception of the word "fuck."
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 03:50 (CET).