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By the People Has Access, Little Else

Critics split on virtues of Obama doc with little dish

By Harry Kimball,  Newser Staff

Posted Nov 3, 2009 12:12 PM CST
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(Newser) – Critics agree the HBO's By the People, a record of the Obama campaign produced by Edward Norton, offers behind-the-scenes access but no real scoops. But what some see as a heartwarming tale of triumph, others find fawning. A sampling:

  • The naivete of the filmmakers shows through for Hank Stuever. "Gradually, their access seems to dry up without them really knowing it," he writes in the Washington Post. What's left "is really more like a souvenir for campaign staffers."

  • Nina Metz, writing in the Chicago Tribune, echoes a common sentiment: By the People is no War Room, the 1993 doc on the Clinton campaign. There's "no sense of the subtle inner workings of the campaign or personalities running it. More often then not, subjects are interviewed rather than observed."
  • But for Katie Baker, writing on Mediaite, the doc is like a good tearjerker. "Viewing the early days of the Obama campaign is like walking a friend to her surprise birthday party: You’re secretly giddy about what’s in store."
  • That giddy focus doesn't get past the early days, Joe Gandelman writes on the Moderate Voice. "The bulk of it is about Obama deciding to run, and running for the nomination." The economic troubles that arguably secured Obama's victory are mentioned "in passing," and "you could almost call John McCain’s role a 'cameo.'"

A scene from the documentary film By the People: The Election of Barack Obama.
A scene from the documentary film "By the People: The Election of Barack Obama."   (AP Photo)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 5 comments
robertmcguire
Feb 21, 2010 2:40 AM CST
By The People was one of the best documentaries I've ever seen. It was interesting how young Obama's speech writers are. But they probably went to Northwestern or an ivy league school. It was well documented and it was funny what Obama's staff would do or say. It really surprised me how Obama's staff would swear sometimes.I'd recommend this to anybody over the age of 14. Overall I'd give this documentary a B+.
Matt2h
Nov 4, 2009 12:30 PM CST
" More often then not, subjects are interviewed rather than observed through the lens." Nina Metz and her editor need to be fired for that grammatical nightmare. Unworthy of a high school newspaper.
NxBigmouthery
Nov 4, 2009 6:59 AM CST
'More often then not'? Fucking hell, it's bad enough when kids say that.

 
HBO • movie review • Election 2008 • documentary film • President Obama • Obama campaign • access • political campaign • By the People reviews

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