Ladies and gentlemen, Election Day is almost here! There are only days left until the nation decides its next president, and this time around, the choices are interesting, to say the least. It seems as though Congress and the presidency has become filled with talking heads, serving the needs of big businesses and special interests instead of everyday folks. Wouldn’t it be nice if someone finally stood up to this bias and stated unfiltered truths?
Well then, welcome to the political landscape presented in Bulworth. Directed by Warren Beatty, the movie stars himself and Halle Berry in a tragic tale of a jaded senator who goes on a political crusade to speak out against the corruption and wrongs of the government. Since its first screening in May 1998, Bulworth has since become known as one of the most scathing political critiques ever made, taking on modern issues such as poverty, racial tensions, and corporate and financial control over the government.
Jay Bulworth, the main protagonist, is a Democratic senator from California running for reelection against a fiery young opponent. During his long tenure, he had become a sellout, taking donations from corporations and turning conservative in his policies and positions. Tired of politics and miserable with life, he buys an insurance policy and contracts himself to be assassinated within 48 hours. Despite this, he becomes liberated to freely comment on the social disparity and racial injustice against black Americans and the marginalization of society.
Hidden beneath the comedy and absurdity of its characters, Bulworth explores themes that have only become more relevant as the years pass by. Senator Bulworth’s speeches against racial and wealth inequality foreshadow the rise of popular movements that would emerge in the coming years, such as Occupy Wall Street, MeToo, and Black Lives Matter. Bulworth challenges the status quo in the political sphere and challenges viewers to question the power structures at play in politics— a call to action that resonates even more with today’s time of tension and division. It also touches on topics such as corruption and the corrosive effect it has on our democratic process.
The Supreme Court’s 2010 ruling in Citizens United v. FEC opened the floodgates of political donations and the creation of Super PACS– political groups that give donations to politicians and their campaigns. This has only proliferated influence and lobbying in politics, leading to increased public distrust and the feeling that politicians work for and are held to special interests rather than working for the people who voted them into office.
More recently, many politicians, such as long-serving New Jersey senator Bob Menendez and New York City mayor Eric Adams have been federally indicted for taking illegal bribes and donations from Middle Eastern interests. This only exacerbates bureaucratic corruption and is just another example to the public how politicians are held hostage to their campaign donors and supporters’ interests.
Many view modern American politics to have become a sort of masquerade, no longer working for the public but for the interests of large corporations and the wealthy. Bulworth presents a timeless satire and relentless parody of American society and politics, reminding audiences that the issues it raised 25 years ago are still very much urgent.
Change starts with us. We must remain vigilant and informed of the actions of the representatives we vote into office to protect our best interests and well-being. The rule and vote of the people is the fundamental groundwork for a true functioning democracy. By not voting or remaining ignorant, there will no longer be a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
To all eligible voters at Edison High School: This November 5th, VOTE!
