HBO's 'Game Change': An Outstanding Movie

You might love it or you might hate it, but I think most people will agree that HBO’s movie, Game Change (based on the book by the same name) is well done. Unlike the book, the film deals only with the selection of then Governor of Alaska Sarah Palin as Senator John McCain’s running mate. (The book also addresses other aspects of the 2008 election.)

I attended the Atlanta premiere of the movie last week. I really didn’t think much about it before hand. I didn’t vote for McCain for two reasons. The first was that my ex-husband was a POW in Vietnam for three years. When he returned in 1973, we attended all the events for the returnees, and I got a way too up-close-and-personal look at McCain and didn’t like much of what I saw. The second reason was that I honestly couldn’t fathom Palin being a heartbeat away from the presidency. Don’t get me wrong, I really like Palin. She is charismatic and very smart. She is passionate about what she believes in and, at some point, she might even become a politician. But first I think she should learn that Africa is an entire continent and not just a country. And a closer look at global warming might help her understand that it doesn't just mean the weather is getting hotter!

A question and answer session after the screening with writer Danny Strong was revealing. According to him: "I would say that 90 percent of the movie is the book, 5 percent is my original reporting and 5 percent is other sources."

He further said that based on his interviews and other research he found the book extremely truthful. He also used Palin’s book as a reference. Neither Palin nor McCain claim to have seen the film and say they don’t plan to do so. They also both refused Strong’s requests for personal interviews during the writing of the screenplay.

I don’t know what the political affiliation of the audience that night was, but I would guess it was majority Democratic although my companion voted for McCain and also enjoyed the movie.

Sarah Palin was a big fat flop at both domestic and foreign policy. However, she has something very special, and I don’t think we’ve seen the last of her.

Check out Game Change this Saturday night, March 10th on HBO at 9pm.