OUR BRAND IS CRISIS

2015, 107 minutes, Colour.
Sandra Bullock, Billy Bob Thornton, Anthony Mackie, Joaquim de Almeida, Ann Dowd, Scoot McNairy?, Zoe Kazan, Reynaldo Pacheco.
Directed by David Gordon Green.

2015 and 2016 have seen extraordinary campaigning for both Democrat and Republican nominations for the presidency. Candidates go on the campaign trail more than a year before the actual election date. There are huge staffs, advisers, spin doctors, experts studying language, body language, noting every incident and nuance which might alienate voters. The spectacle of the campaigner Donald Trump, his wealth, self-confidence, bullying comments, prejudices against Hispanics, Muslims…

Which means the satiric here, might not be as exaggerated as it might at first seem.

The main characters are American but the campaign is for the presidency of the Latin American country of Bolivia. There is a popular candidate, some other candidates whose campaigns are not emphasised in the film, and the former President who wants to make a comeback. The decision has been made that American experts should be flown in and get to work on the political make-over to make sure that the candidate will be elected. On the face of it, this is a huge task. He has a reputation for conservatism and is personally arrogant (Joaquin de Almeida).

The director is David Gordon Green, who began with small budget serious and comic films like Undertow, All the Real Girls, had a phase where he made some outlandish comedies like The Sitter and Your Highness as well is the very funny Pineapple Express, and then moved to films like this, more serious comedies with point, Prince Avalanche, and as writer of Goat.

Two members of the task campaign, Nell (Ann Dowd) and Ben (Anthony Mackie) committee decide to approach a successful veteran from past American elections, Jane (Sandra Bullock). She has retired from the public eye and seems particularly reluctant to become engaged again. But the overtures from the committee members prove tantalising and off she goes to Bolivia. The other member of the team, Buckley (Scoot McNairy) is very sceptical about her.

In Bolivia, she finds a friend/enemy campaigner from the past, Pat Candy (Billy Bob Thornton), and part of her energy is aroused by the prospect and the practicality of some dirty tricks interactions, he very smart with a touch of smugness, she very smart, even smarter.

Audiences will find the film interesting as the American team study the presidential candidate, assess his strengths and weaknesses, especially his weaknesses, and devise strategies, image-changing, meeting people, concealing his arrogance to make him more viable than he is – and, of course, finding situations, money deals, that will undermine the credibility of the popular candidate.

As the team goes off into the Bolivian countryside, they meet quite a ground swell of opposition, especially from indigenous people – and, it is intriguing, if somewhat disgusting, to see the smarmy speeches and calculated gestures to win them over. In the countryside, each group is travelling in a bus along the steep mountain roads – and the rivalry is dramatically (and rather stupidly) dramatised and symbolised in a race to overtake the other no matter the danger.

There is co-operation from some of the locals, especially a young lad who believes in the candidate and is commissioned to be eyes and ears – that is, spying – to pick up information about the opposing camps. Jane also calls in an expert in digging up dirt and information.

The film does show the election day and its aftermath, the success of the candidate and his calculated behaviour as soon as he is elected, endorsement as well as disillusionment, especially on the part of the young man who volunteered to help – and Jane herself walking amongst the crowds, amidst new protesters, doing a bit of reflection on what she had contributed to. Which gives the audience an opportunity to draw some conclusions about campaigning, its artificiality and falsehood, possibilities for genuine communication with people, and politicising, compromise – and downright lies.


1. The title, expectations? A piece of Americana, the American electoral system, campaigns, using of means for ends? The American experience transferred to Latin American countries? Advice, the emphasis on crisis in order to win?

2. The spoof touches, satirising the Americans, types, dirty tricks, wanting to win at all costs, the nature of the advice? Adapting to Latin America, Bolivia, intervening?

3. In the US, Nell and Ben, approaching Jane, her initial reactions, retirement, gradually becoming interested? The advice team? With Buckley? The American presuppositions?

4. Bolivia, the Latin American situation at the beginning of the 21st century? Candidates, the populist candidate, the former president and wanting his return, other anonymous candidates? The range of the population? The city and sophisticated life? Ordinary people? Indigenous people and the issues? Global finance, the IMF, issues of trade, the banks, money reserves? The details of the campaign, the role of the media, the advisers, the tricks?

5. Ben and Nell, the personalities, the relationship with Jane, the visit, her listening, the energy aspects? Her agreement to go with them?

6. The team, as is a group, winning at all cost, learning? Buckley and his superior tone? The tensions between the team, watching the candidate, watching television? Jane and the initial detachment, meeting to Castillo, her playing on words to him?

7. Castillo, his past, personality, arrogance, not going well in the media, his policies, his assistants? The media, creating the commercials, his catching people – and the commercial being rejected? Rehearsing him, his clothes, attitudes, the tour, his meeting people, the protesters and his being pleasant to them, referring to “these people”, the progress of the campaign, the effect on him personally, improvement in the ratings?

8. Pat Candy, his past, smooth talk, relationship with Jane, the edge? The discussions, the tricks, the information? Jane and her fabrication of the card? His retaliation? Jane and her trick about the quote, in fact Goebbels, the media response to this?

9. Castillo’s rival, man of the people, the meetings, the target of dirty tricks, the disappearance of the money for cars…? His losing?

10. Nell, Ben, their experience of the campaign?

11. Jane calling in Le Blanc, speaking English and Spanish, her skills in digging up all kinds of information about people, her contribution to the campaign?

12. The buses, the rivalry, the dangerous driving and overtaking?

13. The end of the campaign, the voting night, winning?

14. The young man, the photo with Castillo, his loyalty, Jane and the visit to his family, the arguments with his brothers and friends? His spying for the camp, taking photos?

15. Castillo, the immediate change of policy?

16. The boy and his disillusionment, joining the protest, Jane not going to the airport, walking in the march?

17. The message about American campaigns, the end justifying the means, dirty tricks – and possible disillusionment?