‘Weiner’ Review: Wild, Weird, Politically Incorrect and True

A documentary offers an intimate look at the colorfully checkered career of one of New York’s most notorious pols

Joe Morgenstern

The Wall Street Journal

CANCEL

Biography Joe Morgenstern
@JoeMorgenstern
[email protected]

Updated May 19, 2016 2:15 p.m. ET

76 COMMENTS

“Weiner,” an extraordinary documentary feature about the disgraced New York politician Anthony Weiner, has it all—the surreal spectacle of contemporary retail politics, the sizzle of media madness and the mysteries of psychodrama. “Why are they filming you?” a woman asks as Mr. Weiner, bicycling around Manhattan during a mayoral campaign, waits for a light to change. “Are you someone we’re supposed to know?” “Believe me, no,” he replies wryly, then pedals off against traffic. He doesn’t believe it, though, and neither should we. He’s a fascinating subject, and this film, by Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg, captures him in the fullness of his ambition, passion, intelligence, serial contrition and bizarre self-delusion.

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The ambition and passion are on vivid display in a prologue of news clips that show him flying high in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he won seven terms, and plummeting from grace in 2011, after revelations of his having sent sexually explicit messages and photos of himself to women via his personal Twitter TWTR 0.35 % account. There’s a generous sampling of media response, which was unsparing, and often hilarious. Then the film documents Mr. Weiner’s 2013 run in the New York City Democratic mayoral primary, two years after his resignation from Congress.

Far from relying on clips for their account of his campaign, the filmmakers enjoy almost unlimited access to their subject—not just during public appearances, but at home with his wife, Huma Abedin, and their young son. (She is, of course, a prominent political presence in her own right.) If another bombshell hadn’t exploded, Mr. Weiner might have emerged, at the very least, as the unquenchable politician he had long been, except more so, since he was asking for another chance in the face of widespread hostility. (“We don’t want perverts elected in New York City!” shouts one of his critics, Donald Trump. “No perverts!”)

Anthony Weiner Photo: Sundance Selects

Two months into a spirited and increasingly successful campaign, however, comes news that Mr. Weiner had sexted, under the alias “ Carlos Danger,” after leaving Congress, and that his sexting activities continued until shortly before he declared his current candidacy. That’s the point at which “Weiner,” a political documentary about a quixotic politician, turns into a saga of uncommon complexity about a flawed hero carrying on against clearly insuperable odds while he keeps trying to explain himself to outraged voters, to his dismayed staff, to his stunned wife (who remains his wife to this day) and, with the camera running while he reflects and regrets, to himself.

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Anthony Weiner Photo: Sundance Selects

“Weiner,” which was shot by Mr. Kriegman and edited by Eli Despres, is, among other things, a piece of bravura filmmaking with the cockeyed energy of “Dog Day Afternoon.” In a particularly crazed sequence that amounts to a quasi-military operation, the candidate’s staff extricates him and his wife from a potentially humiliating confrontation with one of the objects of his sexting, a woman, code-named Pineapple, who has surfaced in search of publicity on the street outside his office. A particularly riveting sequence begins with Mr. Weiner, alone in a cavernous television studio in New York, sitting behind a desk as he’s interviewed by the MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell, who is in Washington. “For me it just comes down to this,” his questioner says, “which is, what is wrong with you?”

Never at a loss for an answer, Mr. Weiner responds gamely, then humorously, and then combatively, as Mr. O’Donnell’s tone grows ever more strident and judgmental. The movie makes no judgments—that’s one of its strengths—and at moments like this its subject comes off as a genuine hero with inexplicable but almost palpable courage. Toward the end, though, he’s caught off guard by an eerie echo of “Why are they filming you?”—the question asked by the woman on the street. “Why have you let me film this?” asks Mr. Kriegman, from behind the camera that has followed the candidate through the giddy highs and ghastly lows of his doomed campaign. For an edifying answer, Mr. Weiner would have to confront the yearnings and contradictions of his deepest self. Instead, he shrugs slightly and moves on.

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‘Koch’ (2012)

New York pols are a breed apart. In Neil Barsky’s documentary, Ed Koch, the former New York City mayor who died in 2013 at age 88, recalls a moment during the 1980 transit strike. Looking down from a window at police headquarters, he saw thousands of people walking on the Brooklyn Bridge and decided to join the throng. Koch the man was inseparable from the city he loved, and “Koch” the film makes the point eloquently.

Write to Joe Morgenstern at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter: @JoeMorgenstern

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76 comments

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Herman Unanski subscriber

Future member of the Clinton or Bernie administrations?

STEVEN FRANKEL subscriber

Weiner, the gift that keeps on giving. Abedin, the thief that keeps on taking... For Mrs. Clinton.

thomas kennedy subscriber

Under federal peeking bathroom law, Weiner will be the next "Potty Czar" appointment by Obama.

Tom Topar subscriber

The film makers could have saved a lot of film by showing a picture of Weiner with a self explanatory caption "serial pervert and democrat". At least 99% of the population would have been satisfied.

Charles Scott subscriber

If Weiner is a hero then the Kardashians are God.

Mike Hagan subscriber

Does the documentary explain his reptilian appearance? He looks like the dehydrated spawn of George Hamilton and a gekko.

Brian Merrill subscriber

What a talent, a hands on man, literally.

James Weigel subscriber

You used the word "hero" twice in this review. Stop!

Paul Wm Danielsen subscriber

Wiener.

Only in America !

Ron Taylor subscriber

Interesting film, interesting review.

More interesting film might have been about the people who vote for, hitch their careers to, or marry (!) these self destructive narcissists. But then again as Kissinger said "Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac." so perhaps it's a gambit for wonks, film makers, critics, and the "Weiner the World (didn't) await" to decamp to the White house velcroed to Ms Abedin's power suit.

And they all may get in given Loretta "asset seizures" Lynch can probably bury the email and Clinton Foundation issues then continue as AG. And with Hillary swamped with economic and foreign policy collapse Bill and Anthony can go off to create four years of entertainment the Roman emperors would envy.

And media thinks Trump is exciting? To paraphrase the witch "You've just begun". The 2018 election should be a real barn burner.

WSJ/DCJ format: <1000c, prose->ppt, sad.
Print/pdf/text editions frequently differ.
Print=OL+1day (usually)

KENNETH DITKOWSKY subscriber

Why is the WSJ giving any ink to Weiner?

He is the poster child for the Political elite who are slowing taking over America and destroying its core values and the inheritance that we would like to give to our children. He, like Hillary, is totally amoral and will do anything an say anything to get attention. Unlike Hillary he cannot get away with intellectual (and actual) dishonesty.

Weiner is the poster child of what we do not want for our political leaders! We need to bring back honesty and integrity to government. We are not going to get it in this election cycle, but, as Weiner's wife is Hillary's closest aid we should be able to to be forewarned as to just how far down hill Hillary will bring us. No democracy has ever hit bottom a survived!

MICHAEL SHORE subscriber

Mr. Weiner has an appetite for self-fulfillment that will always remain unquenched. For people like Mr. Weiner, whatever he currently possesses is not enough, and the search for thrills, daring exploits and recognition of his brilliance (in all phases, public and private) is so intoxicating that it becomes controlling. What can I get for myself today? What can I do to keep my mind engaged for every waking second? Who will praise me next? Needy is not nearly descriptive enough.

He has a mental condition (maybe illness) that some people harness, or direct away from self-destruction to become billionaires, incredibly creative artists or successful leaders. But more people like Mr. Weiner lack the discipline to channel that need for aggrandizement and self-fulfillment toward productive outcomes and allow it instead to become a sociopathic delusional modus operandi that ultimately destroys them.

He is not evil. He is weak; too weak to control and channel his condition.

Kevin Bernardo subscriber

@MICHAEL SHORE Interesting analysis/perspective

Carrie Gorringe subscriber

@MICHAEL SHORE

Weak, and probably not inclined to self-awareness. If he weren't like that, he'd be able to change, but, he can't.

Reza Musavi subscriber

Since we can reasonably certain that this narcissist is reading these comments, please go ahead and unload on the low life. The article refers to him as a hero? Give me a break, this guy is a world class loser. We all have flaws, but there is nothing heroic about this guy.

Robert Rappaport subscriber

@Reza Musavi There is a technical term for a character like Anthony Weiner; a piece of excrement.

Donovan Hinds subscriber

I didn't waste 5 seconds reading this review, and I won't waste 5 seconds watching the movie.

Weiner is a despicable man. His career shows the perverse effect that the Democrat Party urban political machine is having on American politics.

John King subscriber

Weiner is just your typical democrat.

Robert Burkholder subscriber

Hillary, Bill, Huma, Weiner - says it all.

scott smart subscriber

Given he is a lifelong politician he most likely believes his behavior is acceptable given the career he is in.

David Murphy subscriber

I have seen his defiant act in interviews. You call this courage, I see it as hubris. Anyone with real courage would have left the stage as gracefully as possible. He is incapable of grace.

arthur trager subscriber

To Weiner all this is a badge of honor. Good or bad publicity never hurts is the Democrats view point. If he was a Republican you would never hear from him again nor would the media ever write a word about him.

Vikram Khanna subscriber

What an idiotic review. A joke of a politician reviewed by a sycophant who doesn't recognize what he's looking at...an irrelevant, self-centered blowhard with no integrity, shame, or respect for himself or others. And, this reviewer concludes, based on all available evidence that this clown is a "hero." An absolutely moronic observation.

Sara Baker subscriber

Flawed hero? Seriously, this reviewer called him a flawed hero?

Michael Eckstut subscriber

A genuine hero? What am I missing? A self-delusional pervert. Without the scandal, he really was and would have continued to be a B player in New York City politics.

Weiner, notorious? Not even, just a pathetic jerk.

Edward Carter subscriber

America the beautiful. Now we have perverts as heroes.

michael obrien subscriber

In a related story, Mr. Weiner is doing a sequel called Keeping A Head.

RICHARD KELLEY subscriber

In the constant quest for new lows in politicians - - and journalism - - -

As long as the federal government now has as it priority "peeking in bathrooms", Weiner can be Obama's new Potty Czar.

Michael Ard subscriber

Morgenstern equates courage with shamelessness.

Alan Lowenthal subscriber

Don't understand the incessant vilifying of Anthony. No one person did more to bring Americans together, regardless of political affiliation, than the The WIener. What else have we been able to agree on during the last 15 years? From all of us, thank you.

Charleen Larson subscriber

Anthony Weiner: There's less to him than meets the eye.

@Charleen Larson

Good one.

John Nicholas Treano subscriber

Truly, truth is stranger than fiction. Can't make this stuff up.

Why Huma didn't dump him is mystifying but then there's her enabling boss.

Carlos Danger indeed.

@John Nicholas Treano

From whom did you think Huma learned the "stand by your man" scenario?

Jerry Daugherty subscriber

What a joke.

Alan Freemond subscriber

He is a candidate for transexulazantion or whatever they call it. It'd be easy, one large knife.

Kirth Gersen subscriber

@Alan Freemond

"Theon Greyjoy-ed"

Kay Sieverding subscriber

It seems that people want to vote for candidates who act super confident not someone who is cautious.

JAMES CATALANO subscriber

Sexting addict Carlos Danger (aka Anthony Weiner) should throw his hat into the ring as a 3rd-party candidate for President. He knows his wife will stand blindly beside him through the campaign, and with the name Carlos he may garner the Hispanic vote.

Maggie Finney subscriber

Weiner is not fascinating - he's a rude, crude piece of garbage -- & that's where he belongs -- in the garbage

Marc Jones subscriber

How for we have fallen. This guy is little more than something that gets stuck to the bottom of your shoe. Yet, somebody is making a documentary film about him. What a waste of time and band width.

Anthony De Angelis subscriber

Just think, with Hillary back in the White House with Weiner's wife at her side, we can count on Weiner to roam the halls with Bill trolling for whatever.

Otto Lichius subscriber

He is trying to make good for marrying a Muslim. His neighbors don't like him.

Victor Cook subscriber

Look at 0:40 seconds into the clip. This is the precise moment where Weiner, when posed a question about his infidelities, looks away pensively while attempting to formulate some sort of LIE to get him out of his stupidity.

Look long and take a listen at that moment. It's truly, incredibly pathetic. It is the precise moment in time when an individual, not just a politician, can confront himself and come to terms with the fact that his web of lies is coming down violently around him and yet he refuses to acknowledge the situation and instead decides to fabricate yet ANOTHER LIE.

TRULY pathetic. What a sad, lost fool. The entire political class needs to be cleaned out. Men of business, science, industry, and creativity should occupy those seats instead.

@Victor Cook "Men of business, science, industry, and creativity should occupy those seats instead."

Wasn't that what the Founding Fathers intended?

They never meant for us to have a permanent political class. George Washington warned against it.

Justin Murray subscriber

@Charleen Larson @Victor Cook

They also never intended for it to be an actual job. Congress was supposed to be a two week affair where they were barely paid enough to travel to D.C. and work real jobs the rest of the year.

Robert Kral subscriber

It does not speak well of New York that this clown's candidacy achieved any traction at all.

David Bowman subscriber

@Robert Kral Mayor deBlasio makes Weiner look pretty good. Maybe New Yorkers have some kind of death wish or a dose of whatever Weiner has.

B Lee subscriber

Leave the Weiner alone. I am looking forward to when Hillary is President so Bill and Carlos Danger can throw some wild parties with the White House female staff. Their activities will be more interesting than listening to another lie from Hillary.

PETER NESS subscriber

@B Lee I recall, perhaps in the 1990s, a t-shirt emblazoned with "Bill and Ted's excellent adventure". It was of course in reference to the activities of William Kennedy Smith and his uncle Ted, the senator from Massachusetts. Perhaps a new shirt is in order for Bill and Anthony/Carlos.