WEINER REVIEWED
“Weiner” is a fascinating political documentary about a man that you just can’t keep down. Should Anthony Weiner not have ran again for NYC mayor? Sure. But, where’s the fun in a perpetually horny middle aged man listening to common sense? Thrill to the sights, as his campaign manager and wife slowly get fed up to him. Stay to watch the once prominent Senator flop hard in press conferences. Who knows? You might be the next person to receive a text from Carlos Danger!
When political documentaries push the audience into a “You Are There” stance, it requires a lot of the modern temperament. Some might call a documentary that examines the cringiest aspects of this politician’s life to be fun. The film’s dramatic editing is designed to appeal to the middle of the road. That’s not a bad thing, but it undermines a lot of what’s going on. You shouldn’t be hooting while watching Weiner’s life fall apart. The audience should be understanding why this politician ate it so hard in front of so many.
Anthony Weiner is symbolic of the collapsing nature of the Neoliberal. Working with the promise that certain groups belong to them, they don’t understand that their nature is naturally abrasive. Loud, overconfident and shrill aren’t qualities to win people over. While past successes have come from just being an outside answer, this documentary shows how painfully that runs out when your run extends too far. Hell, this documentary would make for a great double feature about identity politics alongside “Captain Fantastic”. Check it out.
STUDIO STATS
- 1 hour and 40 minutes
- R
- Sundance Selects