It’s a pretty crazy situation within a crazy world at present, but some would say that it was equally so five years when the business juggernaut that we all know as Donald J. Trump fulfilled a crazy ambition to be the leader of the free world and go all the way to the White House.
With his legacy under tremendous questioning and scrutiny given recent impeachment proceedings and the attack on the Capitol in January 2021, it is fitting and timely that James Fletcher’s new documentary, THE ACCIDENTAL PRESIDENT, should bow within this context – and it gives political fans and viewers a chance to gain a greater perspective and understanding on how he actually did it amidst challenge and resistance from all corners of the globe.
Encompassing the whole embryonic beginnings when he intended to stake his claim, right through to take the Oval Office oath, THE ACCIDENTAL PRESIDENT is not so much about what the momentum Trump got during his campaign did to get him the Commander-In-Chief gig, but also the key mistakes that led his rivals in both the Democratic and Republican arena to concede defeat against him.
A whole variety of interviewees, including Aaron Sorkin, Jerry Springer and Piers Morgan amongst them, tap into the constructive realities of how much effort and work goes into getting into a key position in politics, as well as bring context and subtext to what actually did happen during a volatile period in the world when President Obama’s legacy for change was questioned, himself a figure who was keen to be remembered as a major change for power and prestige, but whom came under increased scrutiny by the American establishment for certain actions and policies.
The second half of the documentary looks at Hillary Clinton’s campaign and how it stacked up against Trump’s – and it does make an enlightening and revealing context as to where she fell short, in terms of promoting herself and making herself visible to the potential electorate that were crucial to winning key votes in key States.
There is so much comment and perception about Trump – and THE ACCIDENTAL PRESIDENT makes his Presidency less of an accident due to the very climate he declared his ambition – and some seem to reflect in the film that in fact the depth of feeling from the country and populace, both negative and positive, contributed to his success in reaching the White House.
A balanced and valid addition to the political doc genre.
Follow THE ACCIDENTAL PRESIDENT on Twitter: #TheAccidentalPresident
THE ACCIDENTAL PRESIDENT is available to rent and buy on Apple TV+, Amazon, iTunes, Google Play and YouTube now
