Morris's documentary cuts together footage from Twelve O'Clock High, The Searchers, The Bridge on the River Kwai, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Chimes at Midnight, The Candidate, In the Face of Evil: Reagan's War in Word and Deed, Generation Zero, My Darling Clementine, Paths of Glory and audio from The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara as Bannon addresses these films’ effects on his perceptions and beliefs.

The interview takes place on a set replicating the air-strip and Quonset hut from Twelve O'Clock High and they watch clips from these films on a projector out of frame.

Errol Morris cites his desire to understand the United States 2016 Presidential Election, "So that we can try to make sure it doesn't happen again",[2] as inspiration for the film.

[2] The decision to interview Steve Bannon specifically was brought on by the filmmaker's reading of Michael Wolff's Fire and Fury.

[2] Cut footage from the film made use of Morris's interrotron device, which allows for both first person perspective and eye contact between the interviewer and the subject.

[13] Paul Leonard-Morgan's soundtrack includes tracks with titles in line with key notes from American Dharma.

Each aforementioned media form appears prominently within the documentary as Steve Bannon discusses his interpretations of these works.

[20] American Dharma was subsequently screened alongside a talk given by Errol Morris at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) on November 18.

The website's consensus reads, "American Dharma offers a fascinating glimpse of a political influencer's public persona - and a frustrating missed opportunity to interrogate his actions and stated beliefs.