‘By the People’: Ed Norton and Hollywood’s Mindless Obama Praise
by Billy HallowellAmy Rice and Alicia Sams’ documentary, “By the People,” provides a lens into Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign. A guided tour of sorts, the film delves into the Obama’s biggest milestones, while ignoring glaring contradictions and blemishes. Perhaps two words can best describe it: snooze fest. Teamed with the films vapidity and its lack of new, unexplored material, there are some intriguing conflicts of interest surrounding its production.
“By the People” is a praise initiative that doesn’t offer much beyond what politicos and Obama enthusiasts already know: Obama was a regular Joe who, through a series of (unfortunate for the American people) events, captured the presidency.
While Hollywood’s insane obsession with anything and anyone left of center is never a surprise, one should ardently question why HBO, after purchasing the film for seven figures, has chosen to ignore other intriguing political stories. Why not balance the film with another special or documentary that explores the McCain-Palin campaign? One could argue, as I’m sure HBO would, that the focus of the film is on to the winning candidate. Fine. Argue away, but anyone with a pulse knows we’d be hard pressed to see a similar accolade to a Republican victor. Furthermore, Sarah Palin’s initial book sales prove that she’s a brand worth exploring. So, why not go for it? (more…)
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