A Perfect Candidate

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Stranger Than Fiction Summer Special

Hailed by the Washington Post as “the best American documentary since Hoop Dreams and one of a small handful of essential films about politics in this country,” A PERFECT CANDIDATE explores our national obsession with winning, and the impact of that obsession on the nation’s well-being. Casting Oliver North as an unlikely underdog in American politics, acclaimed filmmakers R.J. Cutler (The War Room, The September Issue) and David Van Taylor (Dream Deceivers, With God On Our Side) weave a timely parable about contemporary leadership and campaign culture in a cynical age, where issues take a back seat to the machinations of political spin doctors and voter interests are distorted in a media hall of mirrors.

Sometimes horrifying, often hilarious, A PERFECT CANDIDATE is an up-to-the-minute critique of our campaign process — and a twisted journey into the underbelly of American politics. In 1994, former Marine Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North re-emerged following the Iran/Contra scandal to challenge Democratic incumbent Charles Robb in a hotly contested Virginia senatorial race. A PERFECT CANDIDATE presents revealing close-up portraits of both candidates, and offers a rare glimpse into the lives of two important people behind the scenes: North campaign senior strategist Mark Goodin and veteran Washington Post reporter Don Baker.

IFC Center does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. In addition to the synopses, trailers and other links on our website, further information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media, IMDb and DoesTheDogDie.com as well as through general internet searches.