The War Room

"The War Room" is a fantastic documentary that shows the behind the scenes and takes an inside look at a presidential campaign for president. This film follows then Arkansas governor Bill Clinton's track from the snowy cold first Primary in New Hampshire in January of 1992 to the final victory party on election night in November of 1992. The best scenes are shown in the campaign room when you hear the plans and game plans of the two most important Clinton insiders that being James Carville and George Stephanopoulos. Carville the outspoken and fiery southern who ran the campaign with charm and hard working passion. Really an emotional moment is when James gives his speech at the end by breaking down and crying really a touching moment for the viewer. While Stephanopoulos the brilliant and young bright mind who was an ex Rhodes Scholar does a fine job as the communications director helping Bill dodge and maneuver around such scandals as Gennifer Flowers and the draft dodge. The film also has plenty of highlights from the debates, speeches, campaign tours, and highlights of final election results too. Really a fine documentary of how a political campaign should be done, which most will find both educational and informative.

As a student of Political Sciences, I believe this to be one of the most fascinating and introspective documentaries regarding the subject of campaigning. The first modern campaign, the 92 Clinton war is an amazing melodrama of quick rises to power, downfalls, villains, heroes, and the precursor to one of the most vicious political battles of our nation's history. In the film, if you look hard enough, you see the seeds of weakness being sown which would lead to an awesome political showdown which is more grand, more high-stakes, and more dark than the plotline of any film in this database. Note: If you like "The War Room," read Woodward's "The Agenda."

This would be an excellent film to show high school poly sci students. It shows the combination of art and craft that goes into a campaign; it promises to entice students into politics without pretending that there isn't some finagling and footwork involved.

Weak points: The sequence involving the Bush Brazilian print job goes on way too long and then doesn't resolve. Also, I (for one) was looking forward to seeing that timeless moment during the East Lansing debate when Clinton stepped away from the podium to address the draft issue, head on. That was a make-or-break moment that reminded us just how far a little candor can go when conventional political wisdom has us by the lapels, screaming in our faces. It's too bad the directors/editors didn't see fit to give us that critical moment, which I consider quite historical, not to mention on-topic.

All told, worth seeing. Interesting to watch something like this and remember that the pendulum sometimes swings...that way.

I have to admit, I came into watching this film with somewhat low expectations, as the last political documentary I watched was "The Hunting of the President" which I found to be ultimately a weak film, with little to no focus on politics whatsoever. As somewhat of a political junkie, I was impressed by this film's portrayal of what seems to be a rather honest look into the workings of a presidential campaign. However, I think the film misses a few point where it could focus on the actual strategies being made, but it chooses more to focus on the people making the strategies. It gives an interesting look into the "reality" of the campaign, but leaves the overall strategies left mostly unexplained. Still a good film though, enjoyed it a lot. Oh, and by the way, the previous reviewed was right on the mark saying that if you liked this you should read "The Agenda" by Bob Woodward. Same sort of style.

The opening of the War Room is unique. We see Bill Clinton, Governor of Arkansas at the time, looking back into the camera, at the audience, with a baseball cap on his head, and a t-shirt covering his body. About to sit down to have his cereal for breakfast, Clinton is talking casual on the phone to a friend. Like the opening conversation, the War Room is as unique and clever as any political documentary before or after. Most of the world did not known who James Carville was until 1992 / 1993. Most know him as a fast talking, cocky, and brilliant political player. Here, we see a deeper human being with more than just an objective, but a message to America. Behind his tears, we see the truth behind the Clinton Campaign in 1991. Whether you are a fan of politics or don't have the stomach to digest politics, you will enjoy the War Room.