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MOVIES / ON DVD / AL FRANKEN: GOD SPOKE
Al Franken: God Spoke

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Al Franken: God Spoke (2006)

59%
60%
22%
N/A
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N/A
59 %
Reviews Counted: 54 Fresh: 32  Rotten:22 Average Rating: 5.9/10
 
Consensus: Entertaining, if uneven. This documentary traces Franken's transformation from humorist to activist with entertaining, if uneven, results. more
 
Runtime: 90 mins
Synopsis:
From his USO tour in Iraq, to the studios of liberal radio network Air America and on the campaign trail, filmmakers Nick Doob and Chris Hegedus are granted entre to one of the most effective political satirists of our time. Franken fearlessly confronts pundits and politicians, blurring the... [More]
From his USO tour in Iraq, to the studios of liberal radio network Air America and on the campaign trail, filmmakers Nick Doob and Chris Hegedus are granted entre to one of the most effective political satirists of our time. Franken fearlessly confronts pundits and politicians, blurring the boundaries between political satire and impassioned citizenry. Featuring a host of beltway big mouths including Ann Coulter, Michael Moore, Al Gore, John Kerry, Robert Kennedy Jr., Sean Hannity, William Safire, Karen Hughes and Henry Kissinger, the film is an hilarious look behind the front lines of the media wars during the most contentious election in recent history. But ultimately, the film is a personal drama of transformation, as Al Franken leaves his comedy days behind and moves from his seat in the sidelines to become a contender inside the political ring. --© Pennebaker Hegedus Films [Less]

Genre: Education/General Interest

Starring: Al Franken, Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity, Michael Medved, Michael Moore

Director: Nicholas Doob, Chris Hegedus

DVD Info

Release:

Dec 4, 2008

[DVD Details]

DVD Features:

  • Keep Case

Additional Release Material:

  • Deleted Scenes
  • Filmaker Biographies

Reviews

 
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Ratings Image

A humorous, but more importantly illustrative, documentary about the weight of the media -- especially the comedic media -- on the last presidential election.

Full Review | Comment
09/18/07 05:05 PM
Christopher Campbell
Cinematical
Ratings Image

A inteligência de Franken é notória, assim como seu pavor à retórica da direita norte-americana %u2013 algo que o filme ilustra de maneira burocrática. Além disso, sua falta de foco leva-o a parecer um mero instrumento de propaganda, o que é lamentável.

| Comment
06/18/07 03:17 AM
Pablo Villaca
Cinema em Cena
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review | Comment
05/17/07 03:15 AM
John Thomason
Orlando Weekly
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review | Comment
05/12/07 03:40 AM
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Ratings Image

This uncritical bio-pic presents Al as more of an intellectual on a mission than a funnyman in search of laughs, leaving one to wonder whether the purpose here was to makeover Al into a political figure for his rumored run for the U.S. Senate.

Full Review | Comment
04/27/07 06:16 AM
Kam Williams
EURWeb
Ratings Image

Entertaining cinéma-vérité piece

Full Review | Comment
03/01/07 03:36 AM
Eric Monder
Film Journal International
Ratings Image

There's so much previously available material used that for a while "God Spoke" looks like the first documentary assembled entirely from YouTube clips.

Full Review | Comment
11/25/06 09:48 PM
Rob Thomas
Capital Times (Madison, WI)
Ratings Image

Always engaging, often insightful, [and] at times deeply moving.

Full Review | Comment
11/11/06 04:45 AM
Les Wright
culturevulture.net
Ratings Image

I haven't seen this much smug, awkward laughter and bathos since, well, Man of the Year.

Full Review | Comment
11/10/06 03:30 PM
Mike Russell
Oregonian
Ratings Image

Whether one agrees with his point of view or not, it's a message worth hearing.

Full Review | Comment
11/10/06 03:29 PM
Marta Barber
Miami Herald
Ratings Image

A documentary about the comedian and satirist who sees himself as a leftward leaning crusader for Truth and Justice in an era of Lying Liars.

Full Review | Comment
11/05/06 12:11 PM
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Spirituality and Practice
Ratings Image

Feisty, quick-witted and quixotic, Franken takes on such right-wing demigods as Bill O'Reilly, Ann Coulter and Sean Hannity.

Full Review | Comment
10/30/06 01:50 PM
Thomas Delapa
Boulder Weekly
Ratings Image

This film by Nick Doob and Chris Hegedus forces us to make some decisions about him. For myself, I find him generally gross, in person and in manner.

Full Review | Comment
10/26/06 02:20 PM
Stanley Kauffmann
New Republic
Ratings Image

The documentary skims the surface, appreciating Franken's crass, troublemaking modus operandi. This would be OK if the doc were crammed with hilarious footage, but Franken comes off as more droll and bitter than clever.

Full Review | Comment
10/26/06 08:00 AM
Phil Villarreal
Arizona Daily Star
Ratings Image

With his nearly nonstop, self-congratulatory monologues and his seemingly insincere attitude, he comes off as every bit as much an insufferable blowhard as his conservative counterparts.

Full Review | Comment
10/20/06 03:13 PM
Jeff Vice
Deseret News, Salt Lake City
Ratings Image

The film feels unfinished as Franken contemplates a run for the U.S. Senate from Minnesota, which might make God Spoke the set-up for a much more interesting sequel.

Full Review | Comment
10/20/06 09:05 AM
Sean Means
Salt Lake Tribune
Ratings Image

As a record of the Al Franken you already know and love, Hegedus and Doob's rather slapdash movie is fun.

Full Review | Comment
10/10/06 07:50 AM
Jim Lane
Sacramento News & Review
Ratings Image

Neither as adroitly funny as Franken's comic routines, nor as notable as his conversion to the fine art of politics, this is a 90-minute 'What If?' with no discernible answer.

Full Review | Comment
10/08/06 03:15 AM
Marc Savlov
Austin Chronicle
Ratings Image

A documentary in search of a story.

Full Review | Comment
10/06/06 07:34 PM
Mick LaSalle
San Francisco Chronicle
Ratings Image

Often entertaining.

Full Review | Comment
10/06/06 07:33 PM
Bill Stamets
Chicago Sun-Times
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Related Forums

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(Tribeca)-AL FRANKEN: GOD SPOKE gets a pre-opening preem in the fest's SHOWCASE sect.
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(Tribeca)-AL FRANKEN: GOD SPOKE gets a pre-opening preem in the fest's SHOWCASE sect.
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REEL_REVIEWER
(Tribeca)-AL FRANKEN: GOD SPOKE gets a pre-opening preem in the fest's SHOWCASE sect.
by: REEL_REVIEWER 9/12/06


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