Al Franken: God Spoke

Nick Doob and Chris Hegedus—filmmakers of the compelling political documentary The War Room—have created a none-too-compelling political documentary in this profile of Al Franken. A second-tier comic who never quite achieved A-list stardom (even with a Saturday Night Live berth), Franken has subsequently found notoriety in the guise of a left-wing political satirist who takes potshots at both the Bush White House and the sneering right wing media that buttresses the administration's long-discredited policies. But his insights on the political process (as detailed from an Air America talk show, guest lectures, and a few bestselling books) often seem elementary, even whiny, and his targets (Bush and Cheney, Ann Coulter, Bill O'Reilly) are so blatantly obvious that Franken's slaps are literally child's play. The film follows Franken over a half-year period as he moves in privileged political and cultural circles, with genuine A-listers such as William Safire, Yoko Ono, and Michael Moore turning up in nanosecond appearances. Although well-made, the documentary is more of a superficial treatment than an insightful look at a man who has since left Air America to announce his candidacy for the Senate seat from Minnesota. Not recommended. [Note: DVD extras include six deleted scenes (12 min.), text filmmaker bios, and trailers. Bottom line: a small extras package for an unremarkable profile.] (P. Hall)