Weiner (2016)

Content by Tony Macklin. Originally published on October 25, 2016 @ tonymacklin.net.

Weiner is Rehabilitation Lost.

But it's not Miltonian or Shakespearean. It's New York Postian. It's tabloid.

I imagine when Anthony Weiner first agreed to the documentary, he thought it would help redeem his damaged image. But then he fell farther, and the filmmakers were there in real time to record it.

I don't think Weiner ever conceived of the footage of him and staff members scurrying down stairways trying desperately to avoid a bimbo in red leather who was in pursuit. That's hardly redemptive.

Anthony Weiner was a firebrand progressive New York City politician, who might be the Mayor, if a notorious scandal hadn't ruined his career.

Weiner was caught sending images of his swathed genitalia into cyberspace. Given something of a second chance, he was again caught continuing his almost-inexplicable activity. This brought his career to a streaming halt.

The documentary shows Weiner as both pensive and callow. Like many intelligent people, he is both. In Weiner's case, callowness trumps him.

Huma, Anthony's wife, is victim of the seemingly-endless mess. She's glum and glummer. She stands by him as things continue to unravel. "It's like a nightmare," she admits. Ultimately, she gives up.

Filmmakers Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg were granted remarkable access. [It obviously helped that Kreigman once was a significant aide to Weiner.] The film is like good reality TV - if there is such a thing as good reality TV.

They are aided considerably by gifted editor Eli B. Despres (Blackfish, 2013).

Only twice does Weiner ask the filmmakers for privacy - both for conversations he has with Huma. But there are many other revealing, informative conversations between husband and wife, that show them in the midst of the self-created tornado.

"I did the thing," Weiner admits his blatant culpability. But he accuses the media, "There's a phoniness to their behavior."

In one TV interview Lawrence O'Donnell asks Weiner, "What's wrong with you?" It's like a sideline reporter asking a coach after the game, "How does it feel?"

In the film Weiner says, "They (the media) don't do nuance." No kidding.

"Exclusive" "breaking" news is their forte, but it's neither exclusive nor breaking. Most of all, it's usually meaningless.

Another poll from Peoria.

There's also one comment from Donald Trump about Weiner, "No perverts."

[The glass buildings still stand in New York City.]

Weiner is an absurdist view of politics.

Who knew that politicians are absurd?

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