our brand is crisis
Our Brand is Crisisstumbles in turning the 2002 Bolivian presidential election into a cohesive dramedy but the film is packed with memorable humor.
After a decade brawl on the stage of United States political dramatic art , Jane " Calamity " Bodine ( Sandra Bullock ) is living a placid life in a removed mass cabin . Three years drab and getting the best sopor of her life , Bodine spends her 24-hour interval crafting pottery and recovering from her former chore as a campaign strategist . When retiring workfellow Nell ( Ann Dowd ) and consultant for hire Ben ( Anthony Mackie ) show up on Bodine ’s doorstep , asking for her expertness in the 2002 Bolivian presidential movement , Bodine ab initio decline the job - until she discover that her former contender , Pat Candy ( Billy Bob Thornton ) , has been hired to help an react candidate .
Despite her disillusions about electoral process , and all around despite for politico , Bodine can not balk a opportunity to pulsate Candy , agreeing to facilitate Nell , Ben , and director of advertising Rich ( Scoot McNairy ) back Bolivian President turned senator turn Presidential candidate , Pedro Gallo ( Joaquim de Almeida ) . However , in the aftermath of his previous ( controversial ) governing from 1993 to 1997 , Gallo is an unpopular alternative in Bolivia - forcing Bodine and her colleagues to reframe Gallo ’s candidacy to suit his strength : a stiff hand in a time of " crisis . "
Our Brand is Crisisdraws inspiration , and its premise , right away from the factual 2002 Bolivian presidential election ; still , most particular and names have been changed to transmute the very real ( and sometimes violent ) upheaval of 2002 Bolivia into a digestible docu - dramedy . Director David Gordon Green ( Pineapple Express ) is challenge with uphold a very heedful balance between social ( and political ) comment as well as comedic banter and nurse situations . The answer is an risible but very workaday narration of a wearied character , pull out of retreat , who then reconnects with her Passion of Christ just in time to instillactualchange .
Unfortunately , the blurry line between fact and fiction inOur Brand is Crisisundermine the forte of Green ’s nucleus electronic messaging . It ’s a commendable tale that play up the grandness of grassroots action - rather than ( hollow ) promises . Yet , with so many alteration to therealstory of Bolivia ’s 2002 election , Green struggles to assure that his fictional retelling of the rivalry between the real - life of Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada and Evo Morales is as poignant as it is entertaining - especially given the hazard of leading moviegoers to believe the consequence presented inOur Brand is Crisisactuallyoccurred as depicted .
Plenty of films take pregnant liberties with chronicle , favoring a thematic portrait of masses and/or effect instead of a square fictionalize ( see : Steve Jobs ) ; nevertheless , the cheeky tone of Green ’s movie is often at betting odds with its wager - turning a fertile backdrop for social - satire or contemplative docu - dramatic event into a muddled mix of the two that is neither profound nor outright rum .
Unsurprisingly , Bullock ( Gravity ) is magic in the lead role ; though , Our steel is Crisisis unlikely to be the award season darling the actress may have been foretell when she signed on for her part . Bullock make every moment with Bodine believable - from tough talk with Gallo to frantic ( and even drunken ) movement shenanigans . Even though Bodine is entirely fancied , Bullock manages to picture her political strategian with personal appeal and nuance - blending humour and heart , even though the big film fail in that same endeavor . It is Green ’s generic depiction of Bodine and her journey from deadened consultant to political activist , that underwhelms inOur Brand is Crisis , not the actress .
Similarly , Thornton ( Fargo ) transform callous campaign manager Pat Candy , a thin nemesis cliché on the Sir Frederick Handley Page , into one of the movie ’s biggest successes . Every interaction between Bodine and Candy is betroth - thanks to a tense but playful relationship between the opposing strategists ( as well as large interpersonal chemistry from their respective performers ) . lamentably , most of the couplet ’s interaction are abbreviated checkpoint in the extend fib - with only a few vague allusion to their storied rivalry . Even with a stiff turn from Thornton , Candy is underused - particularly sinceOur Brand is Crisisattempts a hasty rundown of Bodine and her tumultuous story by spelling out a moment where the pair ’s feud go too far - without really bringing Bodine ’s flaws ( alcoholism , ego - loathing , and specious lesson ) full band .
Like Thornton , Joaquim de Almeida ( Fast Five ) is another standout as Gallo ( inspire by President Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada ) . The actor ’s transformation of Gallo throughoutOur Brand is Crisis , as the candidate embraces Bodine ’s advice , is more nuanced than looker might initially think - succeeding on a level that is only manifest in the film ’s final human action . Alternatively , supporting players , especially Anthony Mackie ( Captain America : Civil War ) and Scoot McNairy ( Batman V Superman ) put up overdo takes on political drama tropes . Neither type is fleshed - out ; still , they succeed in their master purpose - as a mirror on which Bodine can reflect her evolve feelings about Gallo , politics , and disfranchise Latin Americans .
Our Brand is Crisisstumbles in turning the 2002 Bolivian presidential election into a cohesive dramedy but the film is packed with memorable humour - especially Green ’s version of a mountainside car chase . viewing audience who infer thatOur Brand is Crisisis not a definitive retelling of the real living Lozada campaign ( which resulted in tumultuous ethnical upheaval , mass protests , and even death ) will find intriguing moments of insight into how American campaign direction ( and misinformation ) has shape aim politico around the world . election are an easy target for societal caustic remark but the 2002 Bolivian setting adds a fresh view through which to view American political science ( mostly for the worse ) .
Joaquim de Almeida as Pedro Gallo in Our Brand is Crisis
watcher looking for an educational adaptation of Bolivian political account will , without question , find a lot of problems with Green ’s use of the competition between Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada and Evo Morales . Similarly , moviegoers hop for a bozo dramedy may find that Green spends too much time ( struggling ) to emphasise large sociocultural subject matter alternatively of save cutting satire . alternatively , Our Brand is Crisislands in a safe middle background . It wo n’t inhale political activism or hearty laughs but serve as a palatable admonisher that , sometimes , real - life is stranger than fiction - especially in political theater .
TRAILER
Our Brand is Crisisruns 107 minutes and is Rated R for linguistic process include some sexual references . Now playing in theaters .
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Joaquim de Almeida as Pedro Gallo in Our Brand is Crisis
Our Brand Is Crisis is a political drama directed by David Gordon Green , starring Sandra Bullock as a retired campaign strategian who is recruited to attend a struggling Bolivian presidential candidate . go down against the backdrop of a fickle election , the film explore themes of handling and the ethics of political marketing , with Billy Bob Thornton co - star as her rival strategist .
Billy Bob Thornton as Pat Candy in Our Brand is Crisis
Anthony Mackie as Ben in Our Brand is Crisis
