America’s Burning (dir. David Smick)
By: Adam Freed
Executive producers Michael Douglas and Barry Levinson team with director David Smick in the presentation of the stimulating and potentially controversial documentary America’s Burning. Smick’s film champions America’s need to find peace and acceptance in its differences rather than to continue to plunge into hyperpartisanship and issues-based divide. Hosting an impressive collection of economic and business insiders, America’s Burning presents a compelling argumentative alternative to the current two party political system in which middle class workers continue to disappear from the nation’s economic landscape.
Michael Douglas’ narration of the film is ironic as it was his Wall Street (1987) character Gordon Gekko who coined the infamous phrase “greed is good”. Yes, Douglas is an actor, and Gekko a character, but no figure came to represent America’s financial lust in the 80’s like Gekko. Baby Boomer financial sector marauders used Gekko’s tagline as a battle cry to fill their coffers in Reagan era America. As executive producer of Smick’s film, Douglas seeks to atone for the damage his character did to middle class America nearly four decades prior. In support of this lofty goal, America’s Burning utilizes the insights of numerous industry insiders who seek to illuminate the deep nature of cronyism and capitalism’s symbiotic hold on politics. In particular renowned political scientist and Eurasia Group CEO Ian Bremmer explains in layman's terms the cracks in America’s capitalistic and political connection in addition to a few potential solutions to the problem.
The only real missed opportunity in America’s Burning is the inclusion of fictionalized alarmist news reports painting a dire picture of what could be, rather than what actually is. The intent is clear, to prognosticate a reality that may become possible if the nation doesn’t work to heal long standing wounds, yet this choice comes across as fear mongering scare tactics in lieu of more persuasive documentary techniques. While Smick’s perspective is potentially accurate, presenting “fake news” runs the risk of turning off viewers and minimizing the significance of the film’s message.
David Smick digs deeper to unearth the challenges that the United States faces in recovering from the divisive rut into which it has fallen and in so doing it must address the racial tensions that continue to plague America’s landscape. In what proves to be the most resonant filmmaking present in America’s Burning, Smick includes the perspective of social justice advocate and Black Lives Matter co-founder Hawk Newsome. Newsome famously attended the 2017 “Mother of all Rally’s” a pro Trump, right wing victory celebration in which white supremacy groups were represented in droves. At this rally Newsome spoke to the extremist crowd about just how much they shared in common, although he was a black man from New York and they were white and mostly from middle America. If Newsome’s message of mutual understanding can break through at the M.O.A.R. then perhaps it is possible to find common ground with neighbors and loved ones. This is the intended takeaway of David Smick’s America’s Burning after all.
Target Score 7/10 - America’s Burning is an insightful presentation of ideas pertaining to the nation’s need to unify and correct the political and economic system that favors the few and largely ignores the masses. The star power of Michael Douglas and both narrator and executive producer add a layer of gravity to David Smick’s documentary.
America’ Burning was screened as a part of Movie Archer’s coverage of the Tribeca Film Festival