Sounding and looking a great deal like Michael Moore's stellar give-'em-enough-rope feature Roger and Me, this program asks just what the heck is it that makes seemingly sane people vote for America's finest living demagogue--Jesse Helms--over and over again...and why does Jesse hate gays? Hate aside, why is he so concerned about gays? No simple, pat answers are provided as filmmaker Tim Kirkman ranges about the North Carolina countryside talking with friends, family and strangers alike about the senior North Carolina senator. As in the finest of film skewerings, Helms' monstrous qualities (bigotry, fatuousness, among others) are highlighted and driven home most effectively by people who support him, especially those who try to explain away his meanness by noting that at least one always knows where Jesse stands. Sadly, no massive recall movement for the senator seems to have been engendered by this little production, but it will make a grandly entertaining and poignant addition (the film simultaneously chronicles director Kirkman's disastrous love life) to most video collections and should be required viewing for those folks susceptible to gay-baiting, race-baiting and other familiar American political traditions--even more so because of the brief interview with Matthew Shepard tacked on at the end. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (M. Tribby)[DVD Review—Sept. 18, 2007—Ryko, 83 min., not rated, $24.95—Making its first appearance on DVD, 1998's Dear Jesse sports a so-so transfer with DVD extras including audio commentary by writer-director Tim Kirkman and producer Mary Beth Mann, six bonus scenes (14 min.), “Senator Helms: In His Own Words” text quotes, a bio about the senator, filmmaker bios, and trailers. Bottom line: a fine extras package for a solid doc.]
Dear Jesse
(1998) 83 min. $89.95. New Yorker Video (avail. from most distributors). Color cover. ISBN: 1-56730-200-9. Vol. 15, Issue 1
Dear Jesse
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