The Best Democracy Money Can Buy

An important subject—voter suppression in U.S. elections—is explored in distracting style in this documentary by Greg Palast (inspired by his titular 2002 book), an investigative journalist whose work has been featured in publications including Rolling Stone and The Guardian, as well as reports for the BBC. Palast appears here in the guise of an old-style newshound tracking down the truth behind the Interstate Crosscheck system, purportedly designed to identify people who vote more than once but really meant to disenfranchise minority voters. The investigation leads him into the details of the Crosscheck operation led by Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach and his patrons—billionaires like the Koch brothers, who fund so-called think-tanks set up to promote government policies designed to enhance their oil businesses, and “vulture” capitalists such as John Paulson, who makes huge profits on home foreclosures, and Paul Singer, who realizes a windfall by feeding on third-world debt. The issues that Palast raises are real and troubling, but the feverish presentation—with the reporter decked out like a film noir gumshoe tracking down suspects he will nail in “gotcha” interviews, accompanied by florid animated segments—dulls the impact instead of making the accusations resonate, even as clips featuring Ice-T, Rosario Dawson, Richard Belzer, and Willie Nelson contribute to a less than serious tone. Extras include bonus segments on British Petroleum's cover-up regarding the Deepwater Horizon disaster, and financial chicanery regarding the debts of Liberia and Congo, as well as interviews with Dawson and Ice-T. A strong optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)