2016: Obama's America
Release Date:
July 13, 2012
Limited release
In 2004, controversial director Michael Moore created what remains to this day to be the most popular documentary of all time. A Lionsgate release entitled Fahrenheit 9/11 capitalized upon the liberal frustration toward incumbent American president George W. Bush. The end result was a blockbuster movie that earned $119.1 million, a full 37% more than the second strongest earning documentary, Everest.
While the divisive subject matter of Fahrenheit 9/11 has been critically dissected beyond the edge of reason by opponents of the film, there was something learned in the process. An opposition piece against a sitting United States president is an opportunity to preach to the choir of people who want that elected official voted out of office. Fahrenheit 9/11 enlightened movie makers about a previously unknown business model. During an election season, there is money to be made by attacking the most powerful leader in the free world.
Perhaps Dinesh D'Souza is not a name you know. His resume, however, is quite impressive. During the 1980s, D’Souza served as a policy advisor to conservative icon Ronald Reagan. He has also been employed by right wing think tanks such as the Heritage Foundation and Hoover Institution. In 2010, he published a novel entitled The Roots of Obama's Rage. Reviewing the synopsis of this work reveals that D’Souza believes that anti-colonialism is the driving political philosophy of current American President Barack Obama.
The documentary 2016: Obama’s America is intended to evoke an emotional reaction from its viewers. The film explores the upbringing of D’Souza in comparison to Obama. Then, the latter gentleman’s Kenyan roots are explored, particularly the views of his anti-colonial father. The end result is a documentary that argues that Obama is against American exceptionalism and instead intends to “reshape America” as a country of lesser power.
Rocky Mountain Pictures, the distributor for previous conservative fare such as Atlas Shrugged: Part I and Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, is championing this project. Presumably, there should be enough conservative frustration with the boogeyman they call Obama to turn this project into a hit, at least by documentary standards. 2016: Obama’s America will be released in mid-July; however, its platform strategy is to expand the film to coincide with the Republican National Convention in late August. Competing against the dregs of late summer, this film could prove surprisingly competitive in the marketplace, at least for a time. (David Mumpower/BOP)
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