DEATH OF A PRESIDENT is sadly relevant

I love historical films. The idea that we can continue to re-interpret and find new meanings in our past is something that greatly appeals to me, and the idea that we can have radically different interpretations of the past is endlessly fascinating. In that view, I find alternate histories particularly engaging, especially when they take on a political context.

All of which should help to explain why I loved DEATH OF A PRESIDENT. But those reasons are actually all secondary.

Sure, there's a lot of interesting alternate future stuff (especially hearing the words "President Cheney", a chilling moment to be sure), but what's most interesting is the way the film works as a commentary on the current culture of the United States and its fragile relations with the Middle East. I don't want to spoil some of the interesting places the film goes, but suffice it to say that everything that unfolds is well-reasoned and sadly familiar. It works best when it ruminates on the underlying attitudes and politics of a terrorism-obsessed world.

While the film certainly trades in on its shock value, and serves as a condemnation of sorts for the Bush legacy, it also plays off the audience's prejudices and preconceptions as well, particularly with one piece of audio that is played twice. The audio is heard in a change of context the second time, and reveals a basic assumption the audience has made from the beginning of the film. This particular tactic reminded me strongly of Coppola's THE CONVERSATION, and it's just as effective in leaving the audience thinking. Highly recommended.