BREXIT: THE UNCIVIL WAR
UK, 2019, 92 minutes, Colour.
Benedict Cumberbatch, Rory can year, Lee Boardman, Richard Goulding, John Heffernan, Oliver Morton, Simon Paisley, Paul Ryan.
Directed by Toby Haynes.
This is a British docudrama, a star vehicle for Benedict Cumberbatch and his portraying of political adviser, Dominic Cummings, a man who is prominent in conservative circles but who moved out with some disillusionment of the political system.
This is a docudrama of the Brexit campaign, especially the Leave campaign, for Britain’s Brexit crisis. Cummings is invited in by various political and business interests to lead the Leave campaign and is given complete charge. He is an abrasive personality, dominating, with little regard for people’s feelings. However, he devises a campaign, elaborating databases for information, out-manoeuvring the campaign for Remain which is led by Craig Oliver (Rafe Spall).
Benedict Cumberbatch gives a tour-de-force performance, resisting invitations by UKIP and Nigel Farage and Aaron Banks. He also alienates Conservative members who expect a much more traditional campaign. However, Cummings goes out to meet ordinary people who feel undermined by the European Union. He then devises the successful slogan, Take Back Control.
At the end, Cummings seems to back out from the campaigns and politics. However, by 2019 he was, in fact, advising Prime Minister Boris Johnson in the tactics to get Brexit passed by the House of Commons.
1. A docudrama? The campaign for the UK staying in the European Union or leaving? Brexit? The title – and the consequences of the battle, an uncivil war?
2. The setting, UK 2015, the announcement of the referendum, the discussions about campaigns, for remaining, for leaving? This film for a British audience and the decisions made? For audiences outside the UK?
3. The role of Dominic Cummings, the prologue and his talking about technology and politics, the discussions with the Leave proponents, especially all Nigel Faraj and UKIP? Meetings with Farage and Aaron Banks? Cummings not wanting to join them?
4. The Tories wanting to leave the EU, the approach to Cummings, the discussions, his personality, abrasive? His character, background, Westminster advisor, his family? His acceptance of the role, his total control?
5. The details of Cummings campaign, the whiteboard, the technology, the database, Zach Massingham from Canada, his contribution? Cummings irritating the traditionalists, their wanting a campaign of posters, advertising, phone calls…? His despising them, ridiculing them, the reactions? The variety of personnel on his side? The media?
6. The character of Craig Oliver, the Remain campaign, parallels with Cummings, contrasts? Principles, tactics, confidence in the correctness of the campaign? The range of personalities, politicians?
7. The invented sequence of Cummings and Oliver meeting, talking, comparing notes? Inevitabilities?
8. Cummings and his slogan of Take Back Control? Issues of Turkey joining the EU? Issues of independence, British sovereignty? His not campaigning in Remain areas? Taking the politician to visit the family, unemployment, poverty, lack of opportunity? The meetings, the clashes, heightened feelings about staying or leaving?
9. The effectiveness of the campaigns? The vote, the announcement of the results? Cummings and his achievement? The disappointment of those who wanted to remain?
