January 2009 | blackfilm.com | reviews | film | Barack Obama: The Man and His Journey

As might be expected, the market is suddenly being flooded with Barack Obama books, bio-pics and bric-a-brac. This DVD is an uncritical vanity piece which essentially retraces his historic rise to the presidency, as recounted by a combination of news footage and entertaining interviews with some familiar talking heads.

Among the luminaries making appearances here are CNN’s political consultant Roland Martin, Harvard Professor Laurence Tribe, comedian George Lopez, Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. and Harvard attorney-turned-actor Hill Harper. Lopez talks about how Latinos initially resisted Barack before taking the Kool Aid, while Harper reflects on his former classmate’s prowess on the basketball court.

Designed as a keepsake for fans of the new First Family, no one has a bad word to say about Barack, so this documentary doesn’t have anything controversial to offer, unless you count taking a few funny swipes at John McCain and Sarah Palin. Otherwise the biography is a cloying love fest from start to finish aimed at Obama supporters inclined to revisit every aspect of the campaign.

And it’s all here, from the surprising win in Iowa to the temporary derailment by Reverend Wright to the tide-turning racism speech in Philadelphia clear through to the convention in Denver and the Election Day triumph. Readily recommended as a pleasant recap, provided you’re not looking for much depth.