The Best Thing I Watched in 2020: Week 6
[This post was originally written on February 16, 2020. I don’t know why I never published it.]
Starting this year, I’ve been writing about my favorite thing I watch each week. To see my previous entries, click here.
Director Rachel Lears began working on her new documentary ‘Knock Down The House’ right after the election of Donald Trump in 2016. Lears reached out to Justice Democrats and Brand New Congress, two organizations that were birthed from the 2016 election, to find subjects who were not career politicians for the documentary. The four women she follows, all of whom ran in the 2018 Midterm Elections, include: Amy Vilela, running to represent Nevada’s 4th congressional district; Cori Bush, running to represent Missouri’s 1st congressional district; Paula Jean Swearengin, running for one of West Virginia’s U.S. Senate seats; and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, aka AOC, who we all know ultimately unseated the fourth most powerful House Democrat to represent New York’s 14th congressional district.
All four of these women were running in races where the odds were stacked against them. They ran against establishment Democrats, candidates funded by rich corporations and lobbyists, and more “experienced” politicians. But what these women all share is a passion to change our government and make it work more for people like them - everyday Americans. We see the communities these women grew up in and are tired of seeing neglected. Each of the candidates depicted in the documentary have a powerful backstory about why they’re running for office. It’s honestly inspiring to average Americans like them putting so much work and effort into their respective races, despite knowing there’s a strong chance they may not succeed. And it’s also sad to learn why they’re running, to hear about tragedies that inspired them to run, and also to see some of them ultimately lose their races.
When Lears set out to make this documentary, she couldn’t have known the results of each of the four campaigns. As the ‘Knock Down The House’ reaches its third act, where we see the results of each race, one by one we see them lose. It’s heartbreaking, but the work was worth it. The work is progress, and it’s a reminder that more work needs to be done, that all of the work thus far is not for nothing. Thankfully, the documentary isn’t a total downer, as it ends with AOC’s surprising upset win over 10-term incumbent Joe Crowley. Lears’s team was present the moment AOC learned of her victory, and it’s beautiful seeing AOC and her campaign and all their glory, with all their work having paid off. It’s a powerful moment that calls back to an earlier scene in the documentary, in which AOC says “In order for one of us to make it through, a hundred of us have to try” (I’m sure I misquoted her exact works, but that’s the gist of it).
‘Knock Down The House’ is a great documentary that reminds me of Michael Moore’s 2018 documentary ‘Fahrenheit 11/9’, which you can stream now on Amazon Prime Video. Both documentaries are inspirational and emotional, and showcase the work of grassroots campaigns fighting to change our current systems. Both serve as reminders that big changes can happen if every people like us are willing to try. After all, the first step is the most important step.
You can stream ‘Knock Down The House’ on Netflix. You can also stream the entire film for free on YouTube.
Week 6 Watchlist:
2/10: Snowpiercer
2/12: To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You
2/15: Sonic the Hedgehog
2/15: Knock Down The House
2/15: Kitbull (Short Film)
2/15: Smash and Grab (Short Film)
2/15: Wind (Short Film)
2/15: Loop (Short Film)
