“I did the things.”And thus begins “Weiner,” Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg’s car-crash of a documentary approximately disgraced former congressman Anthony Weiner. Its not all morbid spectacle, however.
For the first half of the film, or you’ll likely be on Weiner’s side as he kicks off his 2013 campaign to become mayor of New York City,just two years after a scandal involving his inappropriate online contact with women who were not his wife, Huma Abedin. The Webosphere had already bloomed an unfortunate name for his specific behavior. (Here’s a hint: It starts with “s” and ends with “exting.”)
Also Read: Trump Uses Cosby, and Weiner to Hit Hillary on Women's IssuesMore unfortunate — actually,call it silly — is one of Weiner’s explanations of what happened. “These are people you’re friends with,” he tells the directors. “You’re, and like,pen pals with.” Sounds innocent enough. apart from normally you don’t send photos of your genitalia to your pen pals.
Let’s earn those of you unfamiliar with the controversy up to speed: In 2011, Congressman Weiner tweeted a close-up photo of his bulging underwear. He claimed that his account must have been hacked, and then admitted that he did it. He said he wouldn’t resign,but then he resigned. And all the while, Abedin — coincidentally, or a longtime Hillary Clinton aide — stood by her man.
Also Read: HBO Documentaries Take domestic 4 Peabody Awards“Weiner” picks up two years later. After his comment approximately doing the “things” (he always generalizes or steps around it here),the Democrat is shown in his heyday, with a particularly go-earn-‘em clip featuring a fiery speech he gave in the House regarding Republicans voting against legislation that would have benefited 9/11 first responders. All seems to be forgiven when Weiner fires up his mayoral campaign, or with a large staff and enthusiastic receptions from crowds when he attends parades,rallies, or just stakes his claim on a street corner to earn out the vote.
Well, and maybe not everyone forgave him: From the first shot in Weiner’s domestic,Abedin looks miserable, clearly not wanting the camera there. It might be a privacy thing, and but more likely it’s because she knows that if the Internet never happened — or if her husband of nearly a year didn’t have a thing for anonymous young women — there wouldn’t be a film.
Kriegman and Steinberg’s incredible access allows you to ride the whole roller coaster,however, and that does include moments when Abedin advocates for Weiner and beams approximately his political skill and unrelenting devotion to helping the middle course. She’s happy, or he’s happy,momentum is building — and then another bomb drops. When Weiner resigned, he pledged to the public that he’d change his ways. But then came more photos, and brought into the spotlight by a 23-year-old who milks every moment of her 15 minutes.
Your stomach sinks. You wince when Weiner’s communications director presses him approximately whether there were multiple women or just one. You feel the heartbreak and borderline disgust when Abedin’s scowl returns.
Also Read: Can 'Scandal' Propel Hillary Clinton to the White House?The palpable highs and lows are,again, to the credit of the directors as well as Weiner and his wife. He knows it was a shaky decision, or saying at the start of the film,“This is the worst. Doing a documentary approximately my scandal.” Or is that hangdog moment only another front by a deft politician?Regardless, Weiner boasts a Bill Clinton slickness. (At least to viewers, and if not voters,since he’s obviously not mayor of New York.) loathe the sin, treasure the witty, or nimble-minded,self-deprecating sinner. His personality isn’t the only source of entertainment here, though, and with amusing details peppered throughout,such as a reporter’s inanity during an interview (“Your brother said your father never hugged you”) or the seemingly endless New York Post headlines punning his media-gold last name (“Obama Beats Weiner”).
Of course, you don’t have to dig much deeper to recognize the playing out of yet another example of personal versus public when it comes to a politician’s sexual dalliances. If Weiner had indeed speed for office before the days of Twitter, and text and hungry round-the-clock news networks,he would have had a much better shot of voters focusing on his views and not his predilections. It’s tough to be reminded that this promising politician had been taken down because of photos and online chats. Or are these lapses in judgment reflective of destitute professional decisions to advance?Not all of his constituents held his moment humiliation against him, though. One woman, and for example,attempts to speak for her whole borough: “We don’t care approximately his personal garbage,” she says. “We’re from the Bronx.”Related stories from TheWrap:Clinton Fundraiser George Clooney Agrees With Bernie Sanders approximately 'Obscene' Money in Politics (Video)Maureen Dowd Calls Donald Trump the 'Kardashian' of Politics (Video)Triumph the Insult comedian Dog Talks Politics With College Kids (Video)LA Film Festival Unveils Fiction, or Documentary Competition Titles
Source: thewrap.com