Generally, it’s a battlefield watching political documentaries. It’s common to have some opinion and perspective so in today times when one dares to make a political documentary, it can either be disguised as courageous or spineless. That being said, let us try to understand what could be called as a biased documentary, Dinesh D’Souza’s Vindicating Trump.
The documentaries starts as a suspense with the Democratic National Committee and its war room. Blasting in the background is Donald Trump giving his prominent speech while riding the “Golden Escalator” stating that he is in fact running for President and it was in the year 2015. This is then follow by a flurry of telephone calls and Zoom meetings involving DNC, Union reps and other dark forces in an effort to strategize on the best possible ways of taking Trump out at the voting box, through media, courts and other diabolical methods.
Next, we see documentarian Dinesh D’Souza, who wishes to set the record straight about Trump’s character, views and agenda and, along with them, the main subject of the film. Trump attorney Alina Habba is brought in by D’Souza to characterize Trump and his ongoing legal activities that began even before he threw his hat into the re-election race. For the first time, Lara Trump then appears to present Trump the family man. Lastly, Donald Trump appears to defend his policy decisions and the manner in which some members of the political establishment have treated him. He even goes campaigning on his own behalf. In a wider context, D’Souza seeks to prove that Donald Trump does not constitute a threat to the American democracy and the American citizens. Rather, he argues that it is the Democrats who pose threats.
It is time to be honest. Vindicating Trump, by any stretch of the imagination, is purely a pro-Trump doc. I appreciate the documentaries that don’t just state an idea but instead, develop it and offer opposing ideas that are somehow representative and allow me to decide. This does not do that. In all fairness, other Trump documentaries that we have been sent that handle these subjects similarly don’t do that either. Consider Unfit: The Psychology of Donald Trump, The Accidental President, or Hello, Privilege. It’s Me, Chelsea… or many more. Are we going to have one day the unbiased scholarly assessment of Donald Trump’s presidential endeavor? Perhaps sometime in 50 years.
The most enjoyable part of Vindicating Trump is that the news that mainstream mediais spreading in their coverage of Trump, is a lie, just like many political analysts who are trying to convince Americans to turn their backs to the former president. D’Souza does just that, and looks for ways to clear Trump’s name off the already used scripts penned by his ceaseless critics. The media has, for instance, turned a mockery of Trump directing abuse towards a wheelchair bound journalist and the words “there are very fine people on both sides”. These words were quotes taken out of context, and the director’s arguments are mostly debunked because he plays the original conversations in total. This documentary was made to prove that the way Trump is depicted in the news and on political talk shows is not how he actually is.
Unfortunately, the dramatizations of how DNC operatives work behind-the-scenes on screen are rather cringeworthy, which quenched the delight at the level of even the dumbest SNL skits about watching a trump strategic meeting. It doesn’t play for the left, and it certainly doesn’t play for the right. As a film critic, I should state, I am not trying to influence anyone’s vote come November. I’m looking at whether this is a good film or not. It is safe to say that, D’Souza is in more of preaching to the choir. What this tends to mean, is that one side will enjoy this movie, and the other side will hate it.
Well, you’ll hear me say this about Vindicating Trump. I prefer you head to the ballot box with some thoughts that are yours rather than with the often spoon-fed opinion from the media and from your enthusiastic (some would say cultish) relatives and friends. Acquire the information and then reach your conclusion. Full stop. I feel compelled to say this because people around you will constantly claim that I should never have watched this film because it provides the platform for the Dictator Trump. Why is it that when everyone around you doesn’t want you to watch something you’re curious about that very thing? Well, perhaps you should watch it and form your own opinion. You can watch a documentary and not be forced to endorse it, as I give you permission.
For More Movies visit Like Vindicating Trump (2024) on 123Movies
