Review by framptonhollis

Some documentaries manage to shock me because of how outlandish they become, and "Wiener" is one of those documentaries. It's about a complicated and controversial political figure, the notorious "sexter" Anthony Wiener whose campaign plummeted due to an awfully funny scandal. The documentary follows his quest for a second chance and the awkward, hysterical madness that ensues.

Whether you like or dislike Wiener or his political beliefs and connections is totally irrelevant, because this film is not focused around that, and it remains pretty unbiased throughout. Wiener's personal life doesn't shock me or enrage me as much as it amuses me, he comes across as more of a classically Jewish comedian rather than some grand political figure in this movie. His politics, themselves, are mostly mixed in my opinion, and his passion is certainly there, but his connections to the dreadful Clintons and the information that came out against him AFTER the release of this film make me shy away from supporting him in any way. However, the media manages to be so obnoxious and cruel that, while watching this film, I couldn't help but side with Wiener on some more personal issues. A candidate's private affairs should not judge whether or not they're a good candidate. Kennedy had affairs, but he was still an excellent president (and, quite possibly, one of the 5 or less ONLY excellent presidents the United States has ever had), making the media's manipulation of entirely private matters pointless in my view.

Sorry for going on a quick political tirade just then, because, as I have already stated, this isn't really much of a political film. It is mostly just a tense and enjoyable comedy of bizarre, but totally truthful, proportions.