MOVIE REVIEW - 2016 - Obama's America

This week in limited release is the new documentary 2016 - Obama's America made by author Dinesh D'Souza.

This is a picture that attempts to take you to places that few have gone in getting to know the current president. It paints a picture according to D'Souza of America, should he be re-elected. For those who support or lean to support the president, this will be dismissed out-of-hand. For those who favor a change in national leadership, it is more preaching to the choir. So in essence, 2016 could be made for people in the middle, or who have not made up their minds on where they stand on many big issues.

D'Souza has written a couple of books about the president, and much of this is based on his writings. He spends the early portion of the movie qualifying himself as the author. He talks about his own beginnings, and his travel to America from India. He goes on to mention his Ivy League education, and his eventual job in the Reagan administration at a very young age. He also attempts to compare his journey in life to the presidents in that they both came of age in America from very humble beginnings in a foreign country.

This movie really has the feel of a TV documentary. It is about 90 minutes long, and is not blessed with a huge budget. D'Souza himself serves as the interviewer on camera for much of the movie. And his skills as an interviewer as not as polished on camera as we are used to seeing. He speaks with plenty of people that talk about the presidents past, his affiliations and the people that helped shape him from an early age. He even goes on to speak with the presidents half-brother in Africa to gain his perspective.

Plus he speaks with many of President Obama's father's friends. The president's father died in 1982, and these guests give some perspective on who he was as a man and politically. D'Souza's main theory is that the presidents primary belief and value system is that of his fathers that he wants to keep alive.

Also much of this has reading excerpts from a couple of the presidents books, in his own words. 2016 spends virtually no time in talking about his political rivals from his own or other parties. But what this movie really zero's on is the president - the man, and what makes him tick.

D'Souza's theory and predictions as you may have already gathered, are bleak and do not paint a very positive picture. But if you go to this movie you can listen to his case and then digest the information for yourself. Just like any other documentary you would see on any subject. Like you would as you watch 60 Minutes on a Sunday evening after the NFL. Understanding though that seldom are politics viewed through a quiet, and neutral mind. Emotion is always present in politics no matter what side you fall on.

2016 - Obama's America. It's relatively tidy, stays on point and makes the point it sets out to.