Running with Beto

Running with Beto was enthusiastically received by hundreds of supporters at its world premiere at the Paramount Theater at Austin's SXSW Film Festival. The film is mostly warm liberal embrace for Beto O'Rourke and his ultimately unsuccessful progressive campaign to unseat Sen. Ted Cruz in the 2018 election. It isn't a very serious academic campaign film. It is mostly a soft and supportive portrait of the enthusiastic candidate and his young family. It paints a portrait Beto, his enthusiastic staffers and his dedicated volunteers. It is a fun film for all those who put their heart and soul into the Beto crusade. Folks who loved Beto and the daring grassroots campaign to turn Texas blue will love the film. Ted Cruz supporters will probably hate it. In Austin, the audience absolutely loved and especially loved when Beto and his wife and daughter showed up on stage with the director at the end of the film. If you are looking for affirmation about what could have been you'll enjoy this entertaining campaign film. Of course, Beto O'Rourke's campaign failed to win, but it did begin a process of remaking the Texas Democratic party (through his effort to visit all 254 counties) in Texas. If Texas ultimately does turn blue, people will come to understand that it all began with Beto's grassroots campaign.

Very surprised as I WAS a Beto fan before I saw this "behind=the=scenes" documentary. Somehow, I think, the director of this presentation was trying to tell O'Rourke somethings wrong. The disconnect he has with his children who are very, very young is glaring. The kids adore him and only once did we experience (with his very young daughter) a genuine hug and connection. I don't think he cares for his little boys at all. Ditto, same for his wife. So, this documentary is excellent as Beto drives himself all over Texas running against Ted Cruz for US Senate in 2018. The documentary highlights some of the committed volunteers and the energetic crowds. Political campaigns are quite raucous and this film captures this aspect quite well. I will still vote for Beto if he gets the nomination. But, anybody but Trump!

As someone living in Austin, I had every intention of watching this documentary. That was until the makers of this documentary held a dinner at the restaurant I was working at and were incredibly rude, belittling, and entitled. I have waited on high maintenance parties and groups on more than one occasion, but this was by far the most disrespectful group of people I have ever had the unpleasant experience of hosting. After being treated as an ignorant, unintelligent waitress for three hours by the production crew of this film, I can't bring myself to watch it.

Bad writing. Bad directiong. Bad continuity. Bad acting. Just an overall terrible production that is only watchable by fans of beto the bomb.. In a long line of dissapoints from HBO which was excellent at one time. Truly sad.

After watching Beto's live-streams campaigning across the state of Texas for two years, it was uplifting to see the more vulnerable side of Beto and his family. His family's sacrifices to run for public office were huge. Beto is a transparent, authentic, funny, compassionate, and brilliant man and this film shows that. This film captures his strengths and vulnerabilities with unblinking honesty. Kudos to the filmmakers. Outstanding work.