Giuliani docu diluted by heavy bias

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Shruti

@shruti

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Posted: 19 years ago

Giuliani docu diluted by heavy bias

Kevin Keating's film, the latest in a seemingly never-ending series of politically themed documentaries presumably designed to have an impact on the upcoming elections, deals with former New York mayor and possible 2008 presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani. But while "Giuliani Time" offers a wealth of important information that many might have long forgotten, its impact is diluted by its heavily biased nature and lack of balance. The film, actually in the works for nearly a decade, offers a comprehensive overview of its subject's career, from his early days as a prosecutor to his stint in the Justice Department to his two-term mayoral reign.

It begins with his appearance at the 2004 Republican National Convention, where he related his anecdote about turning to his police commissioner Bernard Kerik on September 11 and famously uttering the phrase, "Thank God George Bush is our president." Although there is some token effort made to include pro-Giuliani commentary into the proceedings, most notably from Myron Magnet, a conservative writer and editor of the City Journal, the film is primarily highly critical of the former mayor's policies. It most scathingly debunks his "quality of life" campaign, which many credit with bringing down the city's soaring crime rates. But it also delves into his First Amendment issues, his checkered family history and his workfare and welfare reforms. Far too much screen time is allocated to journalist Wayne Barrett of the Village Voice, who rehashes much of the criticism contained in his scathing book, "Rudy: An Investigative Biography."

While the film is indeed very effective in its thorough dissection of Giuliani's controversial policies, the heavy-handed presentation ultimately detracts from its persuasiveness.

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Giuliani docu diluted by heavy bias

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