Review: If you are the most liberal, anti-Bush person out there, you might want to avoid this documentary. It's not pro-Bush but it certainly gives the man a soul and human qualities you would normally want to ignore in someone you hate. You would think someone of Pelosi's standing (registered democrat, journalist and daughter of Nancy Pelosi) would antagonize the conservative candidate and demonize the man, but she does manage to put politics aside here and focus on the man George Bush and the media pack that follows him. Though some might hate this fact, I found it a perfect anecdote for the entire election process. With that said, there is very little to complain about in this documentary. Alexandra Pelosi sheds any broadcast journalism limitations she might have had to create a very real, very detailed and very funny look at politicians and the entire political process. The personal narration gives this story the warmth it needed to carry it for the entire 76 minutes. However, Journey’s with George is not without its commentary, as fellow reporters chime in to give their thoughts on the very beast they feed. And what's most poignant about this film is how the reporters get the best understanding of Bush when he is joking and talking with them. Unfortunately (and the film shows this), the candid nature of Bush is increasingly pushed aside as politics become more and more important. You can tell that Pelosi would prefer Bush to lose the election, but despite this, she does reveal a close connection she has built with the now 2-term president, as he eventually saves her from being ousted by the entire media group. It's a duality that is interesting to explore and see on film. The technical qualities may not be equal to other documentaries, but it certainly isn't bad and the combination of editing and narration creates smaller scenes that add layers of commentary that some viewers might miss if they think this is merely a fun romp with the future president. Plus, you can't hold it against her when the Bush and others decide they should be filming. In the end, I highly recommend Journey’s with George to any one interested in what goes on behind the scenes of the election process and how both reporters and politicians deal with the stress of flying from city to city to city in order to repeat the same procedure day in and day out. Review by Matthew Abshire Informative: 3- this is not an informative documentary in the traditional sense, but you do learn a lot about the people and the situation they're in. Entertainment: 5- I'm sure I laughed for the entire hour plus. Technical: 4 - camera work was very rough, but considering George Bush himself filmed parts of it, you can't hold that against her too much. Editing and sequences are also excellent. Overall: 5- If you're staunchly anti-Bush, you might not like the fact that this is a personal look at the 43rd President before he became leader.
Journey’s with George
Format: DVD Year: 2002 Running Time: 76 Min Distributor: HBO and Purple Monkey Productions Producer: Alexandra Pelosi Director: Alexandra Pelosi Date Reviewed: 4-16-2007 Story: Alexandra Pelosi is sent by NBC to cover George Bush's 2000 campaign for President of the United States. In the process of reporting she decides to make a documentary of her adventure. Having full behind-the-scenes access and her own personal digital camera, Pelosi asks the question, what is a campaign like when all the reporters and politicians stop following their set roles.