Just a few minutes of watching empty suit Judd Gregg mouth the standard platitudes about Wal-Mart and Iraq during New Hampshire's 2004 senate debate was enough to make this viewer almost throw up in his mouth. Thankfully, Doris 'Granny D' Haddock was also at the contest to give better than she got! This wonderful documentary about a great American citizen is inspiring, hilarious, and depressing in equal measure. After all, how could over 434,000 voters watch that debate and then pull the lever for George Bush's loyal apparatchik? Regardless, Ms. Haddock connected with well over 200,000 New Hampshire residents--and seems well poised to oust her callow opponent come the next election cycle, should she choose to run again.
5 Reviews
A lamb among wolves
planktonrules16 August 2008
While I certainly don't agree with many of her politics, the story of Granny D certainly is inspiring. Irrelevant of her stand on issues, her insistence that the system is broken and that special interests are destroying the democratic process are probably the most important issues in politics today. My only gripe is that both parties are controlled by these interests and that Halliburton (the perennial whipping boy of the Left) is as much a risk to the democratic system as MoveOn (the new whipping boy of the Right).
Unfortunately, whether or not Granny was a Democrat or Republican, I think BOTH sides of the political aisle are the problem--though Granny's positions are mostly anti-Republican. There were several amazingly telling moments in the film such as when Howard Dean, "the outsider and man of the people" snubbed her at a rally--"forgetting" to greet her and have his picture taken with her. I also loved it when this leader of the Democratic party said that he was more interested in spreading party funds to those who articulate the party's ideals and not necessarily to those who will win. So, of course, Granny is treated like a leper even though her positions are perfectly in line with what the party CLAIMS to represent! The other was when the weasel from her own political party lied and supported the opposition. That's because regardless of party, the system is more afraid of non-party players than each other! This is the point I really got from the film--that the lady had the rug pulled out from under her by her own party! Unfortunately, this film is just a nice documentary about a nice lady and politics as usual!! A very nice documentary--too bad in the end it probably won't make any difference in the political landscape!
Unfortunately, whether or not Granny was a Democrat or Republican, I think BOTH sides of the political aisle are the problem--though Granny's positions are mostly anti-Republican. There were several amazingly telling moments in the film such as when Howard Dean, "the outsider and man of the people" snubbed her at a rally--"forgetting" to greet her and have his picture taken with her. I also loved it when this leader of the Democratic party said that he was more interested in spreading party funds to those who articulate the party's ideals and not necessarily to those who will win. So, of course, Granny is treated like a leper even though her positions are perfectly in line with what the party CLAIMS to represent! The other was when the weasel from her own political party lied and supported the opposition. That's because regardless of party, the system is more afraid of non-party players than each other! This is the point I really got from the film--that the lady had the rug pulled out from under her by her own party! Unfortunately, this film is just a nice documentary about a nice lady and politics as usual!! A very nice documentary--too bad in the end it probably won't make any difference in the political landscape!
Inspiring doc about an inspiring woman
karmacoupe4 July 2008
This is an outstanding documentary about the American political process, as told through the story of a 94 year old woman from New Hampshire who ends up running for their U.S. Senate seat. It has echoes of The War Room about Bill Clinton's '92 campaign -- in that both are excellently made with rarely seen views behind the facade of a longshot campaign.
You'll love this film if you like The Candidate or Mr. Smith Goes To Washington or Primary Colors or Man Of The Year -- all fictional accounts of this same kinda story -- but this doesn't have the "happy" Hollywood ending -- just real life. But a real life inspiring story -- and any kind of whining you might have about your own diminishing abilities will be quickly wiped away when you see what this 90-something can still do. And the lady is a scream! Listen for her son's ".38 revolver" line! :-)
Watch for the Senate debate scene with her Simpsons-like cartoon character opponent Judd Gregg -- and also cameos by Russ Feingold, John McCain, Joe Trippi, Howard Dean and others!
Also, if you can find the smart Canadian TV sit-com called The Newsroom, they did a 2-part episode called "The Campaign" that's funny as heck about a grassroots no-budget campaign like Granny D's. But what's so great about this, after all the fabulous made-up stories of underdogs running, this is SO the real deal -- wrinkles, warts & all.
You'll love this film if you like The Candidate or Mr. Smith Goes To Washington or Primary Colors or Man Of The Year -- all fictional accounts of this same kinda story -- but this doesn't have the "happy" Hollywood ending -- just real life. But a real life inspiring story -- and any kind of whining you might have about your own diminishing abilities will be quickly wiped away when you see what this 90-something can still do. And the lady is a scream! Listen for her son's ".38 revolver" line! :-)
Watch for the Senate debate scene with her Simpsons-like cartoon character opponent Judd Gregg -- and also cameos by Russ Feingold, John McCain, Joe Trippi, Howard Dean and others!
Also, if you can find the smart Canadian TV sit-com called The Newsroom, they did a 2-part episode called "The Campaign" that's funny as heck about a grassroots no-budget campaign like Granny D's. But what's so great about this, after all the fabulous made-up stories of underdogs running, this is SO the real deal -- wrinkles, warts & all.
A documentary of our times that is a must see for all age groups
joecary-18 November 2007
This is a remarkable story of a remarkable woman. Granny D reinvented herself at the age of 90, and is still fighting at the age of "97" to make the American government a government of the people, for the people and by the people. She was last seen walking up to the New Hampshire state house lobbying for a bill for government funding of state campaigns.
We all should take a lesson from her and do more to make our democracy a more representational institution. The film follows her campaign for the US Senate. The director did a great solo job in producing, directing and editing the film. This is not your average talking heads documentary. I urge all to buy the DVD.
We all should take a lesson from her and do more to make our democracy a more representational institution. The film follows her campaign for the US Senate. The director did a great solo job in producing, directing and editing the film. This is not your average talking heads documentary. I urge all to buy the DVD.
The Education of Granny D
ldavis-213 March 2010
Warning: Spoilers
I found this as I submitted the passing of Doris Haddock (aka Granny D) to IMDb. Watching, I wondered if Granny ever realized that every single person she met during her political "career" was patronizing her. That said, she didn't do herself any favors: she was naive, a bigot, and an obvious parrot for her son's lefty world-view; the scene of him on the phone shaking people down for contributions tells us more about him than the filmmakers intended.
The scene of Granny's visit with her daughter Betty (who died three months after the election) was an obvious ploy to elicit our sympathy. But Granny's admission that her activism outweighs what guilt she feels over not being there for Betty lost me.
The filmmakers waste their energy painting Bush flunky Gregg as the heavy when the real baddies are the elite in Granny's own party, whom take her even less seriously than Gregg does, as evidenced by the nincompoops who run the campaign! The manager wastes much-needed funds while twiddling his thumbs, and the "peace and love" strategist bails when she refuses to take a pay cut for twiddling her thumbs! The manager crows to Granny the morning after the election that they're only $300,000 in the hole (the DNC CRAPS $300,000!), then tears out of her driveway like a bat out of Hell!
The manager gushing over Trippi offering his "wisdom" had me rolling my eyes, especially as the debate coach perfectly nailed Granny's strengths and weaknesses. Anyone who would willingly toil for that wack-job Howard Dean (portrayed here as a royal prick) is not someone that I would ask for advice to begin with.
The scene of Granny's visit with her daughter Betty (who died three months after the election) was an obvious ploy to elicit our sympathy. But Granny's admission that her activism outweighs what guilt she feels over not being there for Betty lost me.
The filmmakers waste their energy painting Bush flunky Gregg as the heavy when the real baddies are the elite in Granny's own party, whom take her even less seriously than Gregg does, as evidenced by the nincompoops who run the campaign! The manager wastes much-needed funds while twiddling his thumbs, and the "peace and love" strategist bails when she refuses to take a pay cut for twiddling her thumbs! The manager crows to Granny the morning after the election that they're only $300,000 in the hole (the DNC CRAPS $300,000!), then tears out of her driveway like a bat out of Hell!
The manager gushing over Trippi offering his "wisdom" had me rolling my eyes, especially as the debate coach perfectly nailed Granny's strengths and weaknesses. Anyone who would willingly toil for that wack-job Howard Dean (portrayed here as a royal prick) is not someone that I would ask for advice to begin with.
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