A promising theme of redemption. A prolific, supportive wife with close ties to a current Presidential candidate. An initial climb to the top of the polls. Another sexting scandal. A shouting match in a bakery. A televised interview starting with the question, “What is wrong with you?” A foot chase through a McDonalds to avoid a porn star (codename “Pineapple”). A middle finger to reporters. Anthony Weiner’s 2013 Mayoral campaign seemed to have it all. A fly-on-the-wall documentary intended to capture his comeback story was the ironic cherry on top. It’s appropriately named “Weiner,” a simultaneous punch line and factual title.
Directors Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg have skillfully put together something for people across the spectrum – those who will undoubtedly revel in watching the train wreck, those who consider him a passionate politician with great ideas but fatal personal flaws, and those who are simply curious to see the inner workings of a political campaign.
We see apprehension and bloopers during the shooting of a polished campaign commercial. We see Weiner and his soon to be separated wife, Huma Abedin, discussing cold calling strategy and groveling talking to potential donors and voters, as well as their shared uncomfortable silences once the world knows about Carlos Danger. Canvassers talk about reactions they’ve gotten when people find out who they’re working for. We’re introduced to prominent campaign staffers, and later meetings filled with the stench of incredulity and disappointment. It’s an intimate, rarely seen side of politics. Kriegman and Steinberg frame these events together as a compelling story of triumph-turned-disaster, interspersed with well-timed news footage, late night jokes, and puntastic New York Post headlines.
“Weiner” is unlikely to change many minds about its subject, giving both his detractors and few remaining supporters reasons to reinforce their beliefs. As he cracks up and fails to convince his wife to keep watching his infamous Lawrence O’Donnell interview with him, Weiner could certainly be seen to display a narcissistic coping mechanism, or at best an inability to take things seriously. But there’s also plausible room for sympathy as he futilely tries to talk about the issues at campaign stops, rather than “the” issue.
Funny and insightful, “Weiner” effectively highlights the many absurdities of his campaign, politics, and the media. It’s not often that a politician knowingly says on camera, “I still have this virtually unlimited ability to fuck up things… day by day.” The result is an open, nuanced portrayal; after all, it was his idea in the first place. Bill de Blasio may have handily won the primary and later the general election, but it’s clear which candidate was best suited for a documentary. And given recent news, there’s still plenty of fresh material available.
Dogomon 