Journeys With George (Documentary, 2003)

By Sean Kerrigan,
Sunday, November 21, 2010

Journeys With George is a documentary of then Governor George W. Bush's campaign for president in 2000. While it isn't quite a full biopic, it does provide a lot of depth to the character of the soon to be president.

How the movie's revelations are received is almost certainly an insight into the viewer's own political biases. A Bush critic is almost certain to point out the president's seemingly careless attitude toward the “little people.” A more sympathetic viewer will be delighted at Bush's humor and charm.

Filmmaker Alexandra Pelosi, daughter of Democratic Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, is no stranger to the charm offensive herself, using it to elicit frank and open responses from Bush as well as much of his staff.

For example: Bush and Pelosi on Voting

As much as the documentary says about Bush as a politician, it might even say more about the irrelevancy of the national campaign, which is repetitive, cynical, and largely disconnected from what makes a good president.

Pelosi builds a narrative from more than just Bush quotes. R. G. Ratcliffe might be the most cynical man alive, condemning the whole process as a pointless fraud.

Despite these criticisms, the film clearly has an upbeat tone. The admittedly liberal and intellectual Pelosi says that in many ways, Bush, his staff and the other reporters have become a second family. Viewers even see Bush, the obvious father figure, delivering a cake to Pelosi on her 30^th birthday.

Initially, there were some criticisms about the ethics surrounding the documentary. The White House originally condemned the film, until they realized that had prompted more people to become interested in seeing it, at which point they reversed their position.

This is probably the last truly intimate campaign film we'll ever see. For a political film buff, it's absolutely essential.

4/5