Weiner

Weiner (dir. Josh Kreigman & Elizabeth Steinberg) follows former congressman Anthony Weiner through his 2013 campaign for the mayor of New York City, an an attempt at redemption after resigning from congress due to a twitter sex scandal. The the film is just as much a profile of Weiner himself as of his 2013 mayoral campaign, but his wife, Huma Abedin, is just as interesting to watch. She may not be the main focus, but with the former congressman’s reputation marred by a sex scandal, she’s in the spotlight just as much as him. There are really two ways to look at Weiner:

1. The Humiliation of the Saint Huma Abedin by the Campaign of Anthony Weiner

“First Lady” gets a surprising about of scrutiny for a completely non-political position, and while Huma Abedin works in politics as Hilary Clinton’s right hand man, her prescence and image is what’s on trial. Weiner introduces footage of Weiner and Abedin at home, both when on campaign and mundanely, getting their baby ready, comparing tomato sauces. At first it’s a look at the reality of their domestic life as opposed to the idyllic one in Weiner’s early ads, but as the campaign goes on, we’re seeing the stress not just on their marriage, but on Huma as she becomes less of an person and ally and more of a symbol for Weiner’s campaign and the press.

After all, she’s not the one running for mayor, and though she’s involved in the logistics of his campaign, her role is The Wife. She has to be on point even more than him, but her body language shows her real feelings. She’s rarely interviewed in the film, but almost always on screen with him, showing the uncertainty and simmering anger that she’s not allowed to display. There’s regular debate as to whether Weiner’s behavior disqualifies him for public office, but Weiner never lets us forget that his actions are not victimless. And while the campaign uses her to prove that Weiner’s an upstanding dude who’s truly a better person, the press jumps on her as the symbol of Weiner’s sins. “Why does she stay,” a deeply personal question, is asked repeatedly, with answers ranging from “love is blind” to “emotional abuse” from people who have never met her. All she’s actually got to express herself is her body language, and even that is carefully analyzed when she’s in public. She suffers the fallout twice - as a wife, and as a Wife of Politician; doubly objectified. Even with all her political clout she’s still trapped in societal gender expectations.

2. Anthony Weiner - all passion, no impulse control

The film starts off introducing Wiener as a brash, sometimes abrasive congressman who’s powered by a genuine passion for policy that helps people. He makes C-SPAN a spectacle, which draws people to him; his passion for what’s right is the type of fire we want in someone representing our rights. And then he makes himself into the spectacle when his boner shot is accidentally posted on twitter and tries to deny it in the most ineffective way possible. He’s got a fast talking charm that gets him over with the people, obviously a fantastic asset for a politician. But what’s quite obvious is that he’s got no filter for it; he uses that same charm to hit on followers. The passion devolves into picking fights, shouting at pundits, and being defensive. He views himself as a victim, refusing to drop out of the mayoral race because it would feel like letting his “bullies” win.

The film doesn’t delve too far into making Weiner self-ruminate; the filmmakers are willing to let his difficulty with introspection speak for itself. At one point en route to a community meeting, when asked why he has trouble talking about his feelings, he asks the cameraman if there’s a word for the “fly on the wall” style where the fly talks to you. A the end of the film, as Weiner watches the disastrous final moments of his campaign on the news, he’s asked why he’s let all of this be filmed, and all he can do is shrug. The closest he gets to genuine introspection is a moment musing over whether politics can warp expectations and understanding of relationships. If the question for Huma is “Why do you stay,” the one for Weiner is “Why do you do this?” That question could refer to the politics, the yelling, the cheating, or the sexting, or all of the above. Is this pathological, an example of narcissism or sex addiction? Is it a fatal character flaw, a lack of control or inability to understand consequences? And the last question, which goes for all politicians: is there any altruism involved, or is it all about power and influence?

Of course, in both views, the press is a major player in; they’re the ones who document and analyze the couple’s behavior, promoting the endless scrutiny. Would things be radically different without the existence of social media? Did the same technology that made him popular with the general public lead to his downfall? And are the mainstream press reporting news, or just latching on to a salacious story involving a man with an unfortunate last name? Are the actual issues being lost in favor of prying into personal lives of politicians? Do they treat politicians like celebrities to the detriment of actual government?

Weiner brings up a lot of questions about politics, the press, and about people. Why does someone become a politician? Why are non-political scandals important? Why is “first X” an important figure? Why do people sext/cheat? Is sexting really cheating? What is the press meant for? Why do people stay with cheaters? The film has all the content, but it’s up to us to interpret it.