Comedian-actress Roseanne Barr threw her hat in the ring during the 2012 presidential election as a Green Party candidate, squaring off against eventual nominee Jill Stein. Filmmaker Eric Weinrib's documentary follows Barr's serious if ill-considered and ultimately bizarre campaign, which seems to have mainly consisted of her Skyped appearances at poorly-attended rallies organized by one desperate volunteer staffer. The film uselessly tracks Barr's daily routines folding laundry and smoking a lot of marijuana, but becomes slightly more compelling while she awaits word from TV executives about whether there is interest in a new show in which she would star. For those too young to remember, the film serves up an overview of Barr's earlier success on TV as a standup comic who was given high marks for her brassy “domestic goddess” routine, as well as the years that her sitcom Roseanne was a hot item, depicting a struggling, working-class family. But the days of cultural relevance appear to be long behind her in this contemporary portrait, and while she does voice genuine, populist anger about the U.S. government turning its back on ordinary people, there is nothing suggesting authenticity in her proposed political career. If Barr's campaign was simply ironic or a naked bid for pop culture attention, one might find a few laughs here, but this is simply a pointless ride through craziness. Not recommended. (T. Keogh)
Roseanne for President
MPI, 97 min., not rated, DVD: $24.98 Volume 32, Issue 2
Roseanne for President
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