Copyright 2023 Salon.com, LLC. The website's critical consensus reads, "Our Brand Is Crisis offers sporadic amusement and benefits from a talented cast, but ultimately lacks enough of a bite to add much of interest to the political satire genre. [9] On October 10, Joaquim de Almeida and Zoe Kazan joined the cast, with Almeida playing Castillo, the former president of Bolivia, and Kazan playing a young woman who finds dirt on political candidates. Then Jane figures out a hook: To make Castillo more attractive than the frontrunner (a young, engaged populist who represents hope and change), she has to sell the idea that the country doesnt need someone, well, likable. What makes this fictionalized Our Brand Is Crisis worth noticing to the extent it is, which isnt much is that the filmmakers probably believe they are delivering roughly the same message as Boyntons documentary did, but in fact the most important aspects of this striking story has been scrubbed away or laundered into Hollywood-style pseudo-psychological neutrality. Plot out uproarious long-shot tricks against his opponents that always seem to work out even better than hoped? [2/4], Sandra Bullock is the best part of this wobbly farce As a look at the state of the art of political campaigning (in the US as well as in Bolivia), Our Brand Is Crisis does not cut particularly deep and the ending isnt great. Right before the debate with the 3 leading candidates, Jane is sitting alone in the lecture hall, reading Faust by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe, and is soon joined by Candy. In David Gordon Green's OUR BRAND IS CRISIS, the film is obviously in existence to point out how politics, no matter the nation, are used in gaining votes from image rather than truth. The front-runner, Victor Rivera, is a populist who is appealing to the basest emotions of that poor electorate. At the start of the campaign, which he's hired an American consulting firm to run, he is 28 points behind in the polls and running sixth in the crowded field, he, a globalist, largely seen by the indigenous poor majority, representing approximately 50 percent of the population, as being an elitist, out of touch with their needs and thus generally disliked as a personality. Lets Do the Thing: How Online Were You in February 2023? Um, yes. She doesnt believe hell catch her and he expresses disbelief. Let me know how that goes. Jane then joins the mass of people who are walking toward the city. Violence: Moderate / Profanity: Heavy / Sex/Nudity: Moderate to heavys. (The daughter killed herself as a result.). Jane is a broken prizefighter who has been called into the ring for one last round. Jane expresses to Ben that she still gets nauseous whenever she sees Castillo. She looks across the large foyer to see Candy sitting outside his room. The firm brings in "Calamity" Jane Bodine to manage Castillo's fledging campaign. Somebody on the Castillo bus says Jane has a great ass! (And she does. See list of Relevant Issuesquestions-and-answers. [2/4], Barbara Vancheri, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, would be perfect humanist, socialist, anti-capitalist propaganda except its a bit disjointed Abhorrent at least 61 obscenities rear female nudity when woman on bus moons other bus, crass, grimy and not sure of its own message burdens itself with foul language and sexual allusions, spoiling some pretty great performances from Sandra Bullock and Billy Bob Thornton. When Bodine realizes that she brought a liar into office, she has the car stopped and leaves to join Eduardo. Verdict. if (window.self != window.top) {nf=''} else {nf='NF/'}; Thats why Hollywood had to invent a character with such powers: the knowing, salty political consultant. Associated Press articles: Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. Beyond needing to adjust to her relocation to La Paz however temporary, Jane knows that she has to transform the thinking of the populace to making them want Castillo as their leader as opposed to changing Castillo to something he inherently is not. Our Brand Is Crisis is a 2015 American comedy-drama film directed by David Gordon Green and written by Peter Straughan, based on the 2005 documentary film of the same name by Rachel Boynton. The film was screened in the Special Presentations section of the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival. There are dozens of pottery jars and bowls covering the walls. Thornton is sleek, clammy, and leering. All rights reserved. Election day. The next scene shows the state department giving an anti-cocaine speech, which will help Volasco. They talk about the book and Mephistopheles, with whom Faust makes a wager for his soul. Our Brand is Crisis may be director David Gordon Green's most sterile picture yet, but it's redeemed somewhat by Sandra Bullock's lead performance, as well as a talented ensemble cast . At the start, Jane has been out of the consulting game for several years, following a traumatic mayoral race. Underneath it all plays Ten Years Afters Id Love To Change The World, the absolute nadir of Woodstock-era protest rock; the movies sound editor deserves some kind of award for smoothly deleting the songs opening volley against dykes and fairies.. The pottery business is explained forthwith, lest were worried about some Ghost influence. NOTE: This spoiler was submitted by Jason. [13] Peter Straughan was set to write the script, with Clooney attached as a potential director and star for the film, about the 2002 Bolivian presidential election's campaign by James Carville's Washington, D.C.-based political consulting firm Greenberg Carville Shrum,[14][15] which was hired by candidate Gonzalo Snchez de Lozada. For those who want more detail, I have written a paragraph below containing spoilers. At a Rivera campaign stop, Jane is seen talking to Candy. Its nun versus AI in Damon Lindelofs new series. [8] On September 24, Ann Dowd joined the film. A battle-hardened American political consultant is sent to help re-elect a controversial president in Bolivia, where she must compete with a long-term rival working for another candidate. "Crisis management is the process by which an organization deals with a disruptive and unexpected event that threatens to harm the organization or its stakeholders. Jane insist they go negative in spite of this, but Castillo says no. Castillo tells her she needs professional help for wanting to do anything to win. Another graphic shows the race at 22% for Castillo and 26% for Rivera with 16 days to go. Its yoked to an impoverished Bolivian teenager who believesdespite the angry effusions of his brother and friends in their hillside slumthat Castillo is sincere in trying to bring about economic equality. The film gives a fictionalized account of the involvement of American political campaign strategists Greenberg Carville Shrum (GCS) in the 2002 Bolivian presidential election. Jane says its just a carousel and she was going around and around. David Gordon Greens uneven Wag the Dog-style satirical political romp takes both its title and theme from Rachel Boyntons 2005 documentary about the role played by the gun-for-hire American consultants in the 2002 Bolivian elections. Candy can be seen watching the action in the background. We root for Jane to win and feel guilty for caring more about the game than the country. Ben says, ok. Answer. We get on Janes adrenaline kick when she wins, but the movie rarely questions the deeper ramifications of her actions. "- Castillo: This llama will lead us toward prosperity. [26] On CinemaScore, audiences gave the film an average grade of "C+" on an A+ to F scale. Jane tells him this is the way of politics, and its not her job to solve problems after the election. After he does this, Castillo gives Eddie his cufflinks to hold, and it is clear Eddie idolizes him. Our Brand Is Crisis. This was the lowest wide release opening of Bullock's career, beating 1996's Two If by Sea ($4.7 million). Sandra Bullock (who shares producer credits with, among others, George Clooney and Grant Heslov) is the reclusive political strategist Calamity Jane Bodine, who turned her back on her profession after one dirty trick too many. At least not right away. It is a record turnout and at days end, the results are: Castillo 23.5%, Rivera 22.8%, Volasco 21.9%. When Jane leaves the meeting with LeBlanc, she instead instructs her to dig up dirt on Castillo, their own candidate. Another screenshot shows Castillo has 10% to Riveras 39% with 80 days until election day. Castillo's bus is stopped by a group of protesters who don't want the International Monetary Fund in Bolivia. Smoke too much? In the mix is a fine supporting cast including a sensational Thornton . This password will be used to sign into all, Okay, TikTok, You Can Calm Down About Aubrey Plaza at the SAG Awards Now, All 165 Pink Floyd Songs Ranked, From Worst to Best. Castillo's American consultants, knowing that they need ideas outside the box, recruit "retired" political strategist "Calamity" Jane Bodine, who has lived somewhat off the grid and has not worked on a political campaign in six years. [17][18] Filming also took place in the Bonnet Carr Spillway in Norco in St. Charles Parish. He does exactly that, to Janes delight, when explaining hes not close to his son, but he wishes he was, with tears in his eyes. Nevertheless, theres not much reason for you to take my word over theirs. From there, Jane uses every trick at her disposal to try and beat Candy. Read his answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here. Several candidates separate the two. All the stupid tricks are here, the ones people laugh at onscreen in the context of a film like this but fall for in spite of themselves on their TVs during football games. They plead with him that any negotiations with the IMF (International Monetary Fund) be preceded by a referendum so the people can decide. Joaquim de Almeida - Castillo. Bullock plays Calamity Jane Bodine, a legendary practitioner of the dark political arts who comes out of semi-retirement to navigate the hapless ex-president back to the top job. While Castillo is meeting with the press, Jane meets Eduardo. There is only one wrong thing to do, she says: Losing. Jane yells out the window to Candy that Rivera has dropped 6 points. Heres my idea for a Hollywood ending: People are inspired to seek out Boyntons great documentary, which throws a spotlight on one of Americas least-known but most consequential exports. Unfortunately, the quote is actually from Joseph Goebbels, Adolf Hitler's minister of propaganda. Finally, she meets with Castillo for their first conversation. During a focus group for the ad in which he catches and holds up several people, its clear the ad does not resonate with anybody. LeBlanc finds even more dirt on Rivera, but Jane tells her to focus everything on finding dirt on Castillo. He tells a story about a campaign run by Adlai Stevenson in which Stevenson is told everything thinking person would vote for him, to which Stevenson replies that is not enough. Privacy Policy and Our Brand is Crisis hits a lot of clunky notes and the end is unforgivably cornball, but it's still one of the liveliest political black comedies I've seen in a while. The disillusioned Eduardo joins his brothers at a demonstration of people demanding change. The boys (all adult age) are living alone because their parents have both died. 2023's Most Anticipated Sequels, Prequels, and Spin-offs. Theres no redemption to be found with the people who are ruining liveswho have no belief in politicians or voters; people who have basically given up on humanity and play with public policy like a kid with a loaded gun. Does he drink too much? They approach each other and she just smiles. So yes, throughout the film, the protagoniststhe ones portrayed as good guysuse communistic propaganda. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google One of the llamas is hit by a truck. This is yet another film that could have been PG (maybe PG-13 due to a mooning scene) with a cleaner script. The R-rating is because of the language. Although this is yet another nice white lady who benevolently comes to the aid of a non-white young person (in the case of Our Brand Is Crisis, it's a campaign intern who idolizes Castillo), Bullock shows a lot more shading here than in The Blind Side. Our Brand Is Crisis (2015) Rated R for language including some sexual references. He says the people in the village dont understand that yet. The film, directed by David Gordon Green and based on the 2005 documentary of the same name, follows Bullock's character Jane Bodine, a political mastermind brought in to help a Bolivian. The study of crisis management originated with large-scale industrial and environmental disasters in the 1980s. Back at Janes hotel, Ben calls and informs her there will be a protest downtown. She doesnt think the man should change to fit the narrative but instead the narrative should change to fit the man. She describes the Daisy advertisement, which ran exactly once, that turned the election for Lyndon Johnson over Barry Goldwater. She is then seen in the middle of the protest, and sees Eddie. The campaign advisors are telling Castillo he needs to meet with the people and be seen as one of the people. Jane also has to get Castillo to be totally transparent to her to uncover those skeletons that she might need to deal with, being transparent which he may not be willing to be, not realizing that her own skeletons might pop out to play. We know this stuff happens, but its still clarifying to see the curtains pulled back. What sealed the deal was that she will be coming up against her long-time arch-nemesis, Pat Candy. Jane is seen having a moment of introspection. But if you can be wary of those things, I do recommend this film. Our Brand is Crisis was released across all major streaming and cable platforms on Tuesday, January 19, 2016. It received mixed reviews, despite Bullock's performance being largely praised, and was a box office disappointment. Written by Peter Straughan, and according to its credits inspired by the 2005 documentary film of the same name, Our Brand is Crisis uneasily mixes the star vehicle with the screwball-political-comedy/satire with the (half-heartedly, in the end) impassioned call to social consciousness arms. Cut back to the interview that opened the film. He cant reconcile that her success also makes her a bad person. By the way, the bus driver is paid to drive like a complete moron to do it. Our Brand is Crisis review: While the film is heart-warmingly centered on Bullock, she is at her best neurotic, desperate, redeemable self. A knock on the door reveals Eddie, saddened and angry, who tells her about the IMF plan. The rest of the movie is her telling the story of what happened after her resignation. Since Im reviewing this film for its DVD release, Ive already taken into consideration the opinions of other reviewers. Jane says its time to go negative. Los Angeles County said all litigation over the crash has now been resolved. Directed by David Gordon Green. Available from various digital retailers including Amazon Video, iTunes, Google Play, Apple, Vudu and others. In addition, there are 20+ f-words, s-words (19), and one each of a**, SOB, p*ssed, p*ssy, b*stard, b***h, tw*t, cr*p, and t*rd. But it seems as though screenwriter Peter Straughan and director David Gordon Green realized near the end that theyd written a feature-length film celebrating consultants ability to install a lying, oligarchic, IMF-beholden stooge to a South American presidency, and decided they ought to wrap things up more palatably. 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