Ignorant Movie Review:  My Country, My Country

Response to title:  When I first saw the title it was on the OFS marquee and had been shortened to "My Country", which immediately brought to mind the Samuel Smith hymn, America.  I didn't realize my mistake until I saw the promo poster.

Response to curbside poster:  There's a fair amount going on here.  First of all, one of the "My Country" letterings is in a bold white font superimposed upon the other "My Country", which is printed in the same font but in grey and smaller than the first.  The second "My" is also subsumed by the first "Country".  The implication seems to be that one "My Country" is of greater import than the other.  As well, there is a picture of a man standing next to and pointing at the title while standing over some Arabic words which is probably/maybe Arabic for "My Country, My Country".  The primary picture is of an armed American soldier standing amidst Iraqi children (I assume).  I don't think this is going to be a laugher of a movie.

Response post-credits:  The documentary is fairly gritty, as befits the subject matter I suppose.  The film opens up in Iraq just prior to the January 30, 2005 election for the interim Iraq government.  It then proceeds to backtrack six months to primarily follow one candidate, Dr. Riyadh (a Sunni), and his story/campaign/family through the election.  The film has some general footage as well that includes American, Kurdish and Australian mercenary interests. 

As the documentary's primary target is a medicinal doctor, this invites the audience to share in the similarities of humanity and silently begs the question:  though we may not share the same religion, or city, or house, or day-to-day existence, don't we all get sick or hurt and need assistance?  Unfortunately, the movie is all too successful at capturing the sheer difficulty of living in big city Iraq at the end of 2004 and beginning of 2005 by simply being present and filming.  Violence, suspicion and hatred abound.  Death is so omnipresent that it's more of a running joke than biting commentary.  This fact alone seems to unintentionally undo much of what Laura Poitras attempts to accomplish by virtue of displacing the current Iraqi existence so far out of the casual American's scope that relating becomes nigh impossible.  I did not leave the movie feeling particularly hopeful or light afoot.

Rating:  3.7 Oly Stubbies

Film Haiku:   They write right to left,
             "when will sadness set you free?"
                 Joke before death's door.

Can be seen:  Olympia Film Society
                         206 5th Ave N
                     Olympia, WA  98501

                  Tuesday, October 24, 6pm
             Wednesday, October 25, 9:30pm
                 Thursday, October 26, 6pm