The Gospel of Matthew contains the classic reminder that our reserves of forgiveness should be vast and generous (18:21-35). But anyone who’s ever had to forgive, or asked for forgiveness, knows that it’s a two-way street. We not only have to forgive our brothers and sisters when they sin — those who seek forgiveness also have to atone. The disappointment that comes from watching a person we’ve forgiven repeat their sins is a uniquely painful, frustrating feeling.
It’s this sentiment, paired with high-access insight into the mind of the subject, that makes Weiner such an interesting film. Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg’s documentary on former New York congressman Anthony Weiner follows the politician’s 2013 bid for mayor of New York. The film starts off as a story of trust being shakily regained, then takes a hard left turn into disaster, via real life absurdity and drama. It rivals anything you’d see on The Good Wife or Veep.
Kriegman and Steinberg pick up Weiner’s story two years after he resigned from Congress in an infamous sexting scandal (the details of the politician’s rise and fall are illustrated in a slick opening montage). He’s had time to apologize publicly, regroup professionally, and repair his relationship with his wife, Clinton aide Huma Abedin.
Weiner enters the mayoral race amid raised eyebrows, but his commitment to issues and fighting spirit give his campaign momentum. For a time, it seems, the past is behind him. But a second round of explicit photos and texts emerge, all sent after Weiner claimed he had reformed. It’s this development that ultimately kills his campaign — Weiner hemorrhages supporters and his public appearances are dominated by accusations of dishonesty.
As our anti-hero grapples with the consequences of his cover-up, Kriegman and Steinberg shift part of their focus to show the impact of Weiner’s behavior on his staff. Weiner lied to them as much as to the American public, and they’re very forthcoming with how hurt they are that Weiner didn’t trust them with the whole truth.
This feeling is doubled with Abedin, who stands to see both her marriage and her career destroyed by her husband’s scandal. Though the film doesn’t go into great personal detail, Abedin’s anger is still made very clear, and her decision to stay with him feels both baffling and impressive.
That brings us to Weiner himself. While he’s able to separate his political passions from his personal problems, what he fails to do, or is perhaps too prideful to realize, is consider how his actions impact his personal and political relationships — especially when it comes to his supporters. Weiner never offers a “why” for his actions, and evades the question like a pro when asked.
The last days of Weiner’s mayoral campaign devolve into farce, with anxious aides running around and the candidate’s interactions with voters getting more and more contentious. While watching the ship go down is entertaining, what makes the story so fascinating is the boldfaced dishonesty at its core. Weiner the man misses what Weiner the film understands about his predicament: that being made a fool by trusting in the wrong person is an awfully hard thing to forgive.
Weiner is currently appearing at film festivals. It will premiere on Showtime in October.
Abby Olcese is a freelance film critic and writer based in Missouri. You can find her on Twitter @abbyolcese.
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