My Country, My Country

Relaxing, administrative, non-violent, compassionate, realistic. Not romanticized or biased.

Certainly an interesting look at a pivotal moment in Iraq's reconstruction. Everything is visible in the periphery, the US militarization, the contractors exploiting the situation, the remnants of Saddam's brutal regime, the handcuffed international organizations, and a deep sense of mistrust and ambivalence that puts a damper on an important moment. But the perspectives of both sides are those of the priviledged, and it makes for a film that feels detatched from the everyday citizens and lives.

Poitras' decision to make Dr. Riyadh the central subject of the documentary was an excellent one. The access Dr. Riyadh gives us into his family life, his work life, his values, and his aims for Iraqi society, reveals a picture of a decent man in desperate times struggling to grapple with the impossible task of being politically involved in a sham election during wartime. Far and away the best documentary I've seen about the disastrous American occupation of Iraq. Well worth watching.

Poitras should have focused more on Dr. Riyadh. The film could have used more tension. Ultimately, it fell short of making a statement.

Speaking of sham elections and voter intimidation, they just had a vote in Zimbabwe...