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Will you be IN THE LOOP? You Can be.

By Jody Arlington on July 16, 2009 1:42 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

A full house of DC pols, press, patriots and representatives from half the city’s think tanks and policy forums came out for the DC premiere of Impact Arts + Film Fund & IFC's IN THE LOOP screening and reception. The film rightfully draws “instant comparisons to some of the great political and absurdist comedies such as DOCTOR STRANGELOVE, WAG THE DOG, THANK YOU FOR SMOKING and MONTY PYTHON. With razor-sharp, truly laugh-out-loud dialogue the film pokes fun at the absurdity and ineptitude of our highest leaders. With everyone looking out for number one, and the fate of the free world at stake (but apparently incidental), the hilarious ensemble cast of characters bumbles its way through Machiavellian political dealings, across continents, and toward comic resolutions that are unforeseeable.”  

Of the many staffers, members and former members in the audience: Rep. Lynn Woolsey and her Chief of staff Nora Matus; former Rep. Karen Thurman; Senator Chuck Schumer staffer Stacy Ettinger; Joel Segal, Legislative Asst. to Rep. John Conyers; and Senator Kay Hagan’s State Director Muthoni Wambu.

Director-writer Armando Iannucci, star David Rasche and several of the films co-writers including Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, and David Grier, attended the event for a post screening discussion and reception.  As expected, the DC crowd more than most responded to characters and scenarios that they have been living or watching unfold for the past seven years from inside the beltway.  What made this an Impact movie was two-fold:  The film reveals the perils of linguistic imprecision in politics and diplomacy, and how easily meaning can be manipulated.  Secondly, anyone who has been a staffer, congressional intern or worked in politics is haunted by their own "Malcolm Tuckers", bullying, swearing, sometimes just mean bosses or colleagues.  Or conversely, bumbling elected and appointed "leaders" who couldn't survive without their aids.  We’ve also seen the young interns taking up squash, or now-a-days basketball, just in case that coveted opportunity to play with the big guy finally happens.  During the Q&A Conyers aid Segal noted the factual accuracy of Armando and his team’s fictional rendering of Washington.  Armando says he continues to be asked by policy-makers “how did you find that out? Who told you? We never told anyone.” to things he invented.  Rasche, who plays a David Addington/Donald Rumsfeld-type character at State, said he prepared for the role for years, simply by watching CNN, MSNBC and FOX; whereas James Gandolfini, spent a couple days at the Pentagon to learn how to walk, talk and swear like a four star anti-war general.  The inevitable comparisons between Malcolm Tucker’s swearing communications pro and DC’s own foul-mouthed Rahm Emanuel also emerged in the post screening discussion.

But ‘splaining, (to repeat the unfortunate word choice of Senator Coburn in the other political theatre taking place this week in the Sotomayor Supreme Court nomination hearings) will never do this film justice.  You must see it when it opens theatrically across the US on July 24^th, here in DC at the E Street Theater.  Trailer and good tidbits here: http://tinyurl.com/cqa9j9