The Way I See It (2020)
SHOULD I SEE IT?
YES
Pete Souza is a terrific choice to feature in a documentary, as his time with Presidents Obama and Reagan gave him a window into some of the most intriguing moments in our recent American history.
Revisits a sense of dignity and empathy that I think we can all agree has been missing from the White House the last 3+ years.
Those who align with Souza’s political beliefs will be all-in and fully in concurrence with his commentary, his reflections and concerns, and the beautiful images which populate the film.
NO
If you are a supporter of Donald Trump, I cannot imagine you will like this very much, if at all.
By giving Souza a platform to speak and share his experiences and views, the film is inherently partisan. I would imagine for some viewers, exhausted with politics all around them 24/7, this might grow old relatively quickly.
Some have expressed the belief that the film may have some great moments and stories, but serves as little more than a series of photos found in any number of Souza’s photo books.
OUR REVIEW
He served as the official White House Photographer for Presidents Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama, and in a new documentary, The Way I See It, photojournalist Pete Souza finally experiences what it feels like to have cameras turned around on him.
Affable, friendly, and someone who welcomes being in the room, but staying largely undetected, Souza stands proud in the humility of the moments he captured with his camera.
Directed by Dawn Porter, who delivered the fantastic John Lewis: Good Trouble documentary earlier this year, The Way I See It is full of Souza’s work. The longer the movie walks through its steps, the more comfortable Souza seems to get in telling his story. Frequently clad in Brandi Carlile T-shirts (she performed at Souza’s wedding, arranged by President Obama at the White House), Souza provides great insight on the Presidents he served with and what they were truly like behind their public persona.
Porter’s image selection and Jessica Congdon’s terrific editing combines for an often compelling look in front of and behind the camera. Souza clearly has affection and affinity for his subjects, and much of the film focuses on his 8-year assignment and close connection with the Obama family.
Souza is a sweetheart of a man. He tears up when thinking about watching the Obamas’ daughters - Sasha and Malia - grow up in the public eye. He has great fondness for the Reagan family, and Nancy Reagan asking him to attend and document President Reagan’s funeral is a moment of profound personal pride. He seems to recognize the incredible privilege he has had, but also the importance his work may mean to current and future generations.
Unapologetic on his liberal political views, the film offers a wonderful sequence as Souza develops a close connection to President Reagan and his family. And while we are increasingly polarized in our conversations and political discourse, these moments are a reminder that ideological differences were something we could overcome, without the rot and ruin people often turn to in today’s world.
Working with Souza, Porter’s film hits many great strides, but also seems a little lost on what to do with the subject matter. On the one hand, the images alone speak volumes and crafting The Way I See It as something of a motion picture scrapbook, with narratives, proves compelling. Souza’s seen so much and is full of so many stories about the decisions made around recent history, you recognize that Porter barely scratches the surface of where a movie like this could go.
Granted, Souza has published several photo books and has given many talks and keynotes on his life and times in the White House. Here, The Way I See It weaves its away around a 2018 book release/speaking tour for “Shade: A Tale of Two Presidents,” where he compares and contrasts President Trump with President Obama, balancing images of the Obama family with tweets from President Trump, in a compare-and-contrast-style project.
As good as this movie is and can be at times, you wish it was more. A handful of individuals appear in the film beyond Souza, but the Obama family is sadly absent as participants. As Souza’s wife, Patti Lease, mentions admonishing him for taking shots at the 45th President on social media, Souza’s understated on what moved from behind the camera to in front of it. Certainly, there’s the obviousness that he is not happy with a lack of decorum from the White House in a Trump Administration, but his willingness to stand in front of the camera feels surface-level at best and somewhat unexplored.
And so…inevitably, The Way I See It becomes a bit more than simply a reflection on photos and historical imagery; on book tours and keynote speeches. Souza sees an important platform and opportunity to speak out, while drawing on personal experiences with two well-respected leaders, standing opposite a man whose unlikely ascendency to the highest office in the land still confounds and troubles him.
In the end, Souza shares profound concern and asks questions a camera or still photograph simply cannot answer. How did we get here? Who are we as a nation? Where did our dignity go home and abroad? Time will certainly tell, but Souza’s experiences and The Way I See It gives great insight into leadership from the inside-out. The perspective is unique. The images important. The concern valid. The future - uncertain.
CAST & CREW
Documentary Featuring: Pete Souza, Patti Lease, Ben Rhodes, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Samantha Power, Susan Rice.
Director: Dawn Porter
Release Date: September 18, 2020
Focus Features