The year-long campaign of Democratic Congressman Beto O'Rourke for the 2018 Texas senate seat is presented. He almost achieved what was arguably seen as the improbable to impossible by coming close to upsetting the incumbent, Republican Senator Ted Cruz, in what is one of the bluest states state-wide in the nation. That uphill climb included being little known at the beginning of the campaign outside his El Paso district - he planning on visiting all two hundred fifty-four co... (Full plot summary below)
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The year-long campaign of Democratic Congressman Beto O'Rourke for the 2018 Texas senate seat is presented. He almost achieved what was arguably seen as the improbable to impossible by coming close to upsetting the incumbent, Republican Senator Ted Cruz, in what is one of the bluest states state-wide in the nation. That uphill climb included being little known at the beginning of the campaign outside his El Paso district - he planning on visiting all two hundred fifty-four counties in the state in making himself better known - and not accepting any political action committee (PAC) moneys, which most politicians do, in funding his campaign. Specific issues are highlighted as they become more integral in the minds of the public and thus politicians, including President Donald Trump's push to build a border wall and his associated classification that all illegal Mexican immigrants are criminals, and the number of mass shootings in the country - especially the one at Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, Texas - bringing up the ever divisive issue of gun control. The effect of the decision to run on O'Rourke's immediate family is also shown, they who describe the commitment being exponentially greater than it was in the Congress campaign. The possible effects of the election result on the 2020 elections is also discussed.
Leave your thoughts about Running with Beto.
| RogerEbert.comChristy LemireAn intimate, thorough look at a candidate on the rise and on the go. |
| IndieWireEric KohnViewed on its own terms, Running With Beto consolidates the feel-good trajectory of O’Rourke’s run into an engaging package that showcases his galvanizing impact up close. |
| VarietyPeter DebrugeIf it’s an optimistic beginning you’re after, Running With Beto makes for a fine start. Speaking as a former Texan, I’m so f—ing proud of how far the state has come. |
| The Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeDocumentarian David Modigliani's straightforward campaign film Running With Beto captures the excitement of that near-victory and celebrates the grassroots work done by passionate volunteers. But mostly it is a tide-me-over for progressives who are heartened by last year's victories and need to maintain that optimism. |
| Los Angeles TimesGary Goldstein[An] entertaining, if straightforward documentary. |
| Austin ChronicleRichard WhittakerModigliani's fly-on-the-wall documentary verges toward the hagiographic, but that's not the most damning criticism, because he makes the case of O'Rourke's quiet charisma. |
| User ReviewCcraw26Amazing, inspiring, and heartbreaking all at the same time. The amount of work and passion Beto put into the senate run was incredible. |
| User ReviewGrantD243This documentary does a good job of showing what Beto is like as a person and politician. However, like many of the recent political documentaries I've watched, it feels somewhat shallow in a way. I feel like they could have gone deeper than they did, and as a result end up with a better documentary than they did. |
| User Review3ebfan511OK documentary, but the makers were probably too close to the subject, as it lacks drama, and feels more like an extended Beto for president commercial. It was interesting to see some behind the scenes of his campaign, esp. him driving a bit himself, but there isn't a whole lot else there. It almost never shows him in a negative light, doesn't talk about his psyche much or his past much at all, and in the entire film he only shows very mild frustration about 2 times ..which is supposed to about a 9 month long campaign. It seems hard to believe that he never became frustrated, or doubtful, or tired, or....anything. it pretty much shows him as the same mostly through out the film, w little we learn besides some of his stances from him talking to crowds, and occasional interactions w people. If you like political documentaries you may find it interesting, but...it doesn't really dig deep on anything interesting emotionally, and probably is not a truly unbiased look at the man, and the time period depicted. The more interesting parts were actually with his supporters on the ground and an inside look into thier lives, which is only a small portion of the films run time. Therefore it is lacking as a fascinating documentary, instead ...is a bit boring and surface-level. |
