PalinGate, too much Sarah Palin, Not Enough Substance

Mike & Friends Blog

Robert Greenwald

Robert Greenwald is a producer, director, political activist, and Brave New Films founder and president.

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June 14th, 2011 10:31 AM

PalinGate, too much Sarah Palin, Not Enough Substance

There's nothing funny about Sarah Palin or her influence on our democracy, but together we can use satire to make an impact and undermine her aura of authenticity and altruism.

Brave New Films is out today with a People's Cut of Palin's upcoming movie, and you won't believe what she's saying right now about her film.

Satire is an effective tool to take the conservative opposition's perceived strengths and use it against them, which is what we're doing here with Palin's movie. This is not a film, but our best chance to redirect the nonstop media attention she's getting with her bus tour and upcoming film.

It feels like every time Sarah Palin blinks she's written up in the news, and we don't intend to give her more media attention. We can't stop the presses from covering her every move, but we can help focus, undercut and change the Palin narrative.

Her film is likely coming to a theater near you, and we've all been carpet-bombed by the film's plot, importance and potential. Thank you news media, but you don't need to be a film critic or TV anchor to know the film misses the truth.

That's why we're giving everyone a chance to tell Sarah what's missing from her film. We're going to take the best submissions and put them to a vote. The winner receives a Sarah Palin collectable bobblehead doll.

Her movie isn't out yet, but there's plenty of ammunition when considering things the film's missing. Early reviews focus on the films omission of the Troopergate scandal, when Palin fired an aide who declined to retaliate against a state trooper who went through a bitter divorce with Palin's sister.

The film also fails to acknowledge or 'refudiate' the smorgasbord of liberal, independent and conservative criticisms of Palin, preferring instead to portray celebrities like Bill Maher, David Letterman and Matt Damon as political clairvoyants.

The film's flawed on its most basic Film Production 101 levels too. Even the New York Post, never to be misidentified as a liberal rag, panned the film because music was awful and the plot would contradict earlier scenes. Ed Morrissey at Hot Air, certainly no fan of my work, was also disappointed a two-hour movie relied on so many quick cuts.

"I'd guess the average shot length has to be somewhere around three or four seconds," Morrissey wrote. "It reminded me of the cable-TV series Dream On, and not in a good way. Like the soundtrack, the overall effect is decidedly unpleasant."

Media pundits won't stop talking about Sarah Palin's move, bus tour and her potential to shake up the 2012 election. Let's grab the microphone, speak truth to power and tell everyone what's missing from Palin's movie.