HouseQuake

Following in the footsteps of The War Room and other insider political documentaries, HouseQuake attempts to capture both the minutiae and the larger high-stakes maneuverings involved in building a political candidate from the ground up and then presenting that person to the American public (operative word: fundraising). But director Karen Elizabeth Price tries to be macrocosmic too, focusing not only on several individual examples but also on a particularly rare and pivotal moment in U.S. political history—the 2006 midterm elections, when national issues dominated local decisions and the Democrats miraculously took back the House and the Senate, mostly on the strength of newbies usurping the seats of longtime Republican incumbents. The key players in this battle are nervy, ambitious Democratic strategist Rahm Emanuel and the cast of green but spirited Democrats running for Congress, including former NFL quarterback Heath Shuler, Iraq War vet Tammy Duckworth, and eco-activist Jerry McNerney, among others. Unfortunately, Price's scattered attempts to follow the progress of at least seven different campaigns tend to hinder the dramatic pacing, and with this many stories, the viewer is left with only a limited sense of the various personalities and what drives them as politicians. DVD extras include extended and bonus interviews, and deleted scenes. Primarily aimed at hardcore political enthusiasts, this is a strong optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (M. Sandlin)