Hillary Clinton is one of the most recognisable and divisive figures in political history, and since the the remarkable media firestorm of the 2016 election she has taken a back seat in recent years, but she comes storming back to popular culture here with this four part documentary from director Nanette Burstein.
The story flits back and forth in the timeline from present day to past as it goes through, but it does also gradually tell the story of her life from college through to the 2016 election. It’s a story many people already know but seeing it all presented this way can still be effective (and the opening credits feature a brilliant song choice and great visuals).
One thing about the documentary is it confirms Hillary hasn’t changed at all, and will for her supporters confirm the fact she is the best President America never had, and for her detractors will just further re-enforce how stubborn and adamant in her own beliefs she can be.
The series cleverly shows how Hillary spent much of her life as a liberal pushing for huge change that often seemed hugely controversial at the time (she is often referred to as constantly being 20 years ahead of her time) but by the time she had her big moment to run for President in 2016 she somehow ended up as the centrist candidate stuck between two incredibly passionate and divisive leaders, in far left socialist Bernie Sanders and far right racist Donald Trump. This ended up with Hillary failing to truly capture the public imagination despite the opportunity to be the first ever female president, and somehow lost the election to the hugely incompetent Trump.
The series also focuses heavily on the media’s relationship with Hillary and the non-stop double standards and extra pressure women have to face in every aspect of their life, especially in politics and public life in general.
Also addressed is Hillary’s multiple decisions to stand by and cover up the behaviour of her husband Bill Clinton, and we get multiple explanations from both of them as to what was really happening at these major moments, especially the Monica Lewinsky scandal. It’s really interesting what they have to say and Bill in particularly seems to speak from the heart and express real guilt for his past. It’s left up to us whether we really believe what they have to say.
This isn’t the sort of documentary that breaks real ground and unveils secrets or completely changes your perception of a person you think you know, but it doesn’t have to be. It is still a well made series that really captures the width and importance of Hillary Clinton’s impact on America throughout the years, and will be especially informative and gripping viewing for those who know little about her or the US political landscape.
Rating = 3.5/5
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