Weiner

A relatively compelling documentary, Weiner follows disgraced congressman Anthony Weiner as he launches a campaign to become Mayor of New York City – with the politician’s continuing efforts hindered by a series of old and new sexting scandals. Filmmakers Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg have infused Weiner with a slick and fast-paced feel that immediately captures the viewer’s interest, with the brief overview of Weiner’s life and career ensuring that one can walk into the picture knowing nothing about its subject (even if Kriegman and Steinberg do gloss over the initial sexting scandal). There’s little doubt that Weiner himself plays a substantial role in cementing the movie’s success, as he primarily comes off as a charismatic and extremely passionate figure that one can’t help but root for and sympathize with. It’s a vibe that’s perpetuated by the extreme overreaction of Weiner’s illicit texting exploits, with the media’s laser-like focus on that one aspect of Weiner’s life certainly fascinating as a portrait of what contemporary news is all about (ie who cares?) Despite a surfeit of engrossing sequences – eg Weiner admonishes the filmmakers for not adhering to a “fly on the wall” perspective – Weiner suffers from the sort of padding that generally plagues documentaries and it’s clear that the movie, though entertaining from start to finish, feels longer than necessary (especially in the comparatively uneventful midsection). It’s a fairly minor complaint for a documentary that’s otherwise quite engaging and entertaining, with the unjustified downfall of the movie’s subject ultimately elevating Weiner above the level of a run-of-the-mill political portrait.

*** out of ****