| The Road We've Traveled | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Davis Guggenheim |
| Produced by | Lisa Remington |
| Narrated by | Tom Hanks |
| Cinematography | Erich Roland |
| Edited by | Kate Amend Sam Citron |
| Music by | Christophe Beck Jake Monaco |
Release date |
|
Running time | 17 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Road We've Traveled is a 2012 documentary film about thePresidency of Barack Obama. Directed byDavis Guggenheim, the documentary was produced byBarack Obama'sre-election campaign and was narrated byTom Hanks.[1]
Events detailed in the film include the2008 financial crisis, thePatient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the2008–2010 automotive industry crisis, and theUnited States Naval Special Warfare Development Group mission that led to theDeath of Osama bin Laden.[citation needed]
People interviewed in the film includeVice PresidentJoe Biden, Obama political aideDavid Axelrod, consumer advocate and former chairwoman of theCongressional Oversight Panel for TARPElizabeth Warren and formerchief of staff and currentMayor of ChicagoRahm Emanuel.[2]
The New York Times noted the use of social media to reach voters instead of television advertisements.[3]New York Times reviewer Alessandra Stanley said that some critics of the video were "inane", noting that "Presidential candidates have been starring in self-promoting campaign videos since Eisenhower". Stanley also noted that the video focuses more on the "apocalyptic" scenarios averted, saying "It's not morning yet on "The Road We've Traveled." It's the end of the darkest hour of the night."[4]The Washington Post referred to the film as a "masterful stroke", comparing it to a similar film made byBill Clinton during the 1992 campaign. The reviewer wrote, "It's less of a bragging moment and more like a contractor's bid for renewal".[5]
CNN hostPiers Morgan, in an interview with director Davis Guggenheim, was critical of the fact that the film cast Obama in an overly positive light and did not have a more balanced analysis.[6] Liberal commentatorGlenn Greenwald wrote that the film, and Guggenheim's subsequent media appearance, displayed "creepy leader worship" and that Guggenheim epitomized the "pure face of the Authoritarian Mind".[7]
