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Streaming for Your Pleasure: Political Theater 

Before we start I should clarify the purpose of this list. No, this is not a ranking of political films. The list is in no particular order, and I will be the first one to admit these are not all great movies or TV shows. Some are while others are simply worth your time. With the massive amount of streaming services and movies to choose from its hard to know what is available. The purpose of this article is to collect titles that are currently streaming for your pleasure.

As we all know watching the world of politics for too long can make anyone’s brain hurt any time of year. Then the bitter rhetoric, repetitive debates, and the overbearing media coverage gets turned up to a new level as each party begins their Presidential Conventions.  So refuge is needed to escape from these glorified circus shows. Luckily we live in the world of online streaming so there is a bunch of great TV shows and movies to choose from.

Although real life politics can be a chore to sit through fictionalized politics can be a delight. With that in mind I combed through all the available streaming services to select some of the best television shows and movies that either satirized or dramatize US politics. Also note for this list I kept away from presidential biographies or other material that was heavily based on real life stories.


[imdb]https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068334/[/imdb]

It is often said that politics today is more divided than ever and that campaigns used to be about the important issues. We hear that things were simply better back in the day. When that day was has yet to be determined. What I always wonder is are those statements accurate or are they a result of a glorification the past? That is when movies like The Candidate are helpful. The Candidate‘s documentary esc style is a big reason why it has aged so well over the years. It feels like you are getting insight into the changing political climate of the time and how campaigns were adjusting the way candidates were sold to the public. For me its ending is prolific, and without giving anything a way it is a poignant way to express how people are more consumed with winning elections than they are of actually being prepared for the office once it is won.

Available: Amazon Prime


[imdb]https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112346/[/imdb]

Rob Reiner and Aaron Sorkin make a pretty good pair. This directing and writing duo gave us A Few Good Men  that has quotes that still populate today’s lexicon, and while The American President does not have the same popularity in many ways it is actually a better film. Sorkin’s knack for writing dialog gives The American President its sharp edge to make you feel like you in the the room with real life political heavy weights, while Reiner’s direction humanizes the characters to make the drama more relatable. It’s odd to call a movie that is over twenty years old a throwback but in many ways it is exactly that. It is like a classic Frank Capra drama that is a delight to witness.

Available: Amazon Prime


https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1266020/?ref_=kw_li_tt

I know Parks and Rec may not be the first show people think of when I mention politics. Sure other television shows may work on the world stage and have plots revolving around serious topics like preventing nuclear war, terrorism, and economic disaster. Well Parks and Rec covers important topics too like Community Town Hall meetings, wild raccoon infestations, and the glories of breakfast food. Obviously Parks and Rec has its fun satirizing small town politics but never in a demonizing manner. One of the best aspects of the show is the relationship between Ron Swanson and Leslie Knope. Two people on the opposite of the political spectrum who are the bestest of friends…or work associates depending on who you ask. They demonstrate that just because people disagree does not mean they cannot greatly respect each other. A notion that is often lost in today’s environment.

Available: Hulu and Netflix


https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031679/?ref_=kw_li_tt

When talking about political films one must mention Frank Capra’s classic Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Certainly it is a product of its time so it may not be the in-depth look at the political landscape like other dramas on this list.  For what I can remember I do know if a name of a real life political party is even mentioned. It does demonstrate that the fear of corruption is nothing new for Washington. Jimmy Stewart gives one of the best performances his career as the ultimate underdog hero. To this day whenever I hear someone talk about a filibuster this movie is the first thing that comes to my mind.

Available: (Digital Rental) – iTunes, Google Play, Vudu, and YouTube rental.


https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1124035/?ref_=fn_al_tt_4

The Ides of March is a good movie in a great movies body. You would think with the talent involved it would be an all-time classic, but it never reaches that status. It is still worthy of your in large part due to the amount of great performances. When your cast list includes George Clooney, Ryan Gosling Paul Giamatti, Marisa Tomei and the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman it is no surprise the acting is on point.  The Ides of March is another exploration into how the desire for power can corrupt, and the lengths even the best of people will go to obtain that power.

Available: Amazon Prime


https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1759761/?ref_=nv_sr_1

If any show can make you laugh at the pure insanity that is the Washington D.C. political machine it is Veep.  It takes the style of the British comedy The Thick of It and transport it to the USA with an HBO flair. Julia Louis-Dreyfus leads a brilliant cast full of intensely hilarious characters. It can be brutal at times as these people who clearly can’t stand each other try to use one another for their own benefit.

Available: HBO Go and Amazon Prime


https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1226774/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

 

Speaking of The Thick of It you we now come to the glorious comedy In the Loop. The Spin-off of the same well regarded British television show The Thick of It, this took aim at the special relationship between the United States and Britain. Showing how a word flub during a meaningless press conference and unintentionally lead to war. Peter Capaldi is a force of nature and Doctor Who fans may enjoy seeing their most recent Doctor giving a much different performance. 

Available: Netflix and Hulu Plus


https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0427944/?ref_=nv_sr_1

 

Well if you are going to talk about politics one must mention the lobbyist that are probably the people who really run things. One of the best looks into the mindset of a lobbyist is Thank You for Smoking. Aaron Eckhart gives what is still the performance of his career as Nick Naylor, a man with an MD in kicking butt and taking names. His complete lack of shame has made him one of my personal favorite anti-heroes . Never would I have thought I would be routing for a person works for Big Tobacco but Thank You for Smoking causes you to do just that. For those concerned Thank You for Smoking is not designed to propagate the benefits of smoking rather the sheer craziness of the political machine and how easy we can be manipulated by charming individuals.

 

Available: (Digital Rental) – iTunes, Google Play, Vudu, and YouTube rental.


https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1856010/?ref_=nv_sr_1

We shift away from the world of comedy to the world of hard nosed drama. It is somewhat odd placing this on an article of this nature because House of Cards  is probably the most notable show in streaming history up to this point. The show that changed the game and legitimize streaming shows. In a way that is why it also has to be mentioned. Despite its notoriety I would not call House of Cards a great show, but there are some great elements including the performances o Kevin Spacey and Robin Right, production design, and overall look that was established by David Fincher. House of Cards is a well made Soap Opera with the ultimate pessimistic view of government. Frank Underwood is the king puppet master pulling the right strings at the right moment to manipulate things in his favor. It exists in reality where nothing is off limits from blackmail to straight up murder. In this frenzy of awfulness half the fun is seeing the lengths people will go to destroy their opposition.

 

Available: Netflix


https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0200276/?ref_=nv_sr_1

 

When end on what I would call the ultimate work of fiction centered on current day US politics. Recently Geekcast Radio did a countdown of the Top 100 TV shows of all Time, and when I was creating my list there was no question for what I should put as the greatest show of all time. The West Wing raised the bar for the type of drama you could create with television. Aaron Sorkin took what he started with a film like The American President and added a level of a intellectualism that had not yet been seen on Prime Time television.  If House of Cards is pessimistic look at those who govern us  The West Wing takes the opposite approach. One that breathes optimism into a world that tends to reject the concept. It is not without is cynicism mind you, however it is not ruled by those negative ideals. Instead it demonstrates what can happen when the smartest people in the room have to answer the unanswerable questions and attempt to win the unwinnable battles. Drama in its best form. The form that will make you think, make you laugh, and make you feel a cavalcade of different emotions in one single episode. By the end you may find yourself witting in Jed Bartlett’s name when you vote this fall.

 

Available: Netflix

 

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Dan Clark

A fan of all things comics, movies, books, and whatever else I can find that pass the time. Twitter: @DXO_Dan Instagram: Comic_concierge

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