Watch Hot Coffee

Hot Coffee is a powerful and thought-provoking documentary that examines the impact of corporate influence on the judicial system in the United States. Directed by Susan Saladoff, the film explores how big business has used the media to manipulate public opinion and sway legal decisions in their favor, particularly in cases involving tort reform and personal injury lawsuits.

The film's title is taken from the infamous 1994 McDonald's hot coffee lawsuit, which became a lightning rod for debates about frivolous lawsuits and the need for tort reform. The case involved a 79-year-old woman named Stella Liebeck, who spilled a cup of scalding hot coffee on her lap while sitting in the passenger seat of a car. She suffered third-degree burns and needed skin grafts, and initially sued McDonald's to pay for her medical bills.

However, the media coverage of the case painted Liebeck as a greedy and litigious person who was looking for a quick payday. McDonald's launched a PR campaign that portrayed Liebeck as a foolish woman who should have known the coffee was hot, and these efforts were largely successful in turning public opinion against her.

Through interviews with legal experts, journalists, and everyday citizens, Hot Coffee examines the ways in which this case was distorted and sensationalized by the media, and how corporations have used similar tactics to push their own agendas in the legal system. The film makes a compelling case that the public outrage over frivolous lawsuits and tort reform has been manufactured and exploited by special interest groups, in order to protect their own interests and limit the legal rights of ordinary citizens.

In addition to the McDonald's case, Hot Coffee also looks at several other examples of how big business has influenced the legal system, including the story of Mississippi plaintiffs' attorney Oliver Diaz, who was targeted by a political smear campaign after he ruled against a major insurance company in a case involving Hurricane Katrina claims. The film also examines the AT&T Mobility v. Concepcion case, which made it harder for consumers to bring class action lawsuits against corporations.

The documentary also includes interviews with several victims of corporate negligence, including a young man who was paralyzed in a car accident caused by a defective seatbelt, and a woman whose husband was killed while using a defective crane. These stories serve as powerful examples of how important it is for citizens to have the right to seek justice and hold corporations accountable for their actions.

Throughout the film, director Susan Saladoff uses compelling interviews, archive footage, and in-depth analysis to take a critical look at the way our legal system is influenced by corporate interests. The film is well-researched and thoughtfully presented, and is sure to leave audiences questioning the narratives they have been fed by the media about the need for tort reform and the frivolous nature of personal injury lawsuits.

Overall, Hot Coffee is an eye-opening and illuminating documentary that provides a much-needed counter-narrative to the prevailing anti-lawsuit sentiment in the United States. The film offers a sobering reminder that the legal system should not be swayed by those with the most money and power, but should instead serve the interests of ordinary citizens who are seeking justice and accountability for the harm they have suffered.

Hot Coffee is a 2011 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 26 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.5.