Patrick
As someone from Washington D.C. who has loved movies and TV from a young age. I have loved movies that I can relate to and use to see other people's perspectives. I have lived in many different neighborhoods in DC, Capitol Hill, Shaw, 14th Street, and Georgetown, and I'm constantly going to stores and landmarks in other neighborhoods in the city. I've gone to different public and private schools causing me to see wealthy, and financially challenged people and how both communities live and function. The Nine Lives of Marion Barry is a movie about someone who tries to govern a part of DC that was crime-ridden and not financially stable. We are able to closely examine his rise to fame, his hardships, and the views on him coming from citizens and opposing candidates.
The movie documents Barry from when he started as a civil rights activist, who accomplished many great things for the black community, like the PRIDE campaign, an employment program made to help out of work ex-convicts get a job. The documentary shows us how he took a turn from activism into politics, starting off as a member of the DC school board, but then promoting himself to a candidate for the DC city council. The documentary shows how he appeals to the people, stands out from the crowd, and politically combats other candidates. They go on to thoroughly examine how he acts every time that he was in office. They closely examine his personal life as well, with found footage, and archived sources they are able to show accurate information, and depictions, rather than most documentaries which are filled with narrations, reenactments, and interviews. But the documentary was not lacking in interviews, they had a few and used them to talk about Barry, and also the state of the city, something that the documentary was good at accurately portraying.
The director was able to give us a surprising plot twist when it was revealed that Barry was a liar who was living a life of sin, in which he cheated on his wife, and did many different drugs. They show videos and images of him kissing and hugging women, they even included a video that the FBI used when they busted him smoking crack with a woman that Barry had plans to have sex with. While the filmmaker shows his ethics and political life deteriorating, they are also able to show the same thing happening with his personal life and the loved ones around him. The director showed how his mental state and reputation was quickly deteriorating, but he gave us hope when he quickly skipped forward to when he was running again in 2008. They interviewed many people from the area and were good at showing how he was able to regain support.
In conclusion, The Nine Lives of Marion Barry is a great documentary. For its good directing, image and video choice, and storytelling. It is a very thought-provoking documentary for the reason that it talks about the multiple lives of a controversial politician who was elected, outcasted, and forgiven. The director thoroughly examines how the city was a drug-ridden place full of crime and poverty and how Mayoral Barry tried to combat them, but ended up falling into a lot of the traps that the very citizens of DC fell into.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
04/25/23
Full Review
Zoe M
As I settled into my seat for history class, the name "Marion Barry" was announced as our next topic. A classmate remarked, "Isn't that the cocaine dude?" and another added, "My mom said he's going to burn in hell." I squirmed in my seat, unsure of what to expect. Was he really just the "cocaine dude"? What else had he done? How should he be remembered? Does he deserve all his scrutiny? My teacher then walked up to the front of the class and projected "The Nine Lives of Marion Barry," a 2009 HBO documentary directed by Dana Flor and Toby Oppenheimer and produced by Julie Goldman. Pretty soon a montage of Marion Barry filled the screen. I guess I was about to find out.
Through a series of old clips and interviews (including many from Barry himself), the documentary provides a multifaceted perspective on the life and legacy of the controversial Marion Barry. Starting with Barry's early life, including his upbringing in Mississippi, his move to Washington D.C, and his involvement in the civil rights movement, the documentary provides important context on his background. It then explores his rise to political power, focusing on his campaign to become mayor in 1978, followed by his re-election in 1982, and 1986. While the documentary does address Barry's well-known scandals, such as his 1990 arrest for smoking crack cocaine in a hotel room (a fitting explanation for his nickname "the cocaine dude"), it also highlights the positive aspects of his career such as improving conditions and employment opportunities for African American residents and advocating to better the city's education system.
The documentary also explores the roles that race played in DC politics during the late 20th century. It calls attention to the fact that Barry was a prominent African American politician who clashed with the city's early white establishment and explores his complicated impact on the African American community.
Unlike many documentaries, "The Nine Lives of Marion Barry," had our group of 15-year-olds on the edge of our seats. With moments of suspense and engaging storytelling, it was both insightful and entertaining to watch. In addition, it didn't use intense music or manipulate facts or overly dramatize different events to try and create a more "interesting" narrative. As a result, our class walked away with a conflicted yet nuanced and accurate understanding of Marion Barry's legacy. So, while I'm still grappling with questions like how Barry should be remembered, one thing remains quite clear: "The Nine Lives of Marion Barry," is a fascinating documentary that will leave you questioning your pre-existing views on the controversial DC mayor. It is a well-made, in-depth, thought-provoking, story that is worth a watch (or three).
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
06/05/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Super bad. I mean BAD.
Rated 1/5 Stars •
Rated 1 out of 5 stars
02/25/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Its still unfathomable after all these years peoples trust that they have in this guy. Oh well, hes not my mayor.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
01/22/23
Full Review
Audience Member
An even-handed, though highly abbreviated (only 78 mins) take on the saga that has long defined politics in the District. The film is sequenced very well, providing ample context for the rise of Barry while visibly demonstrating the man's physical and cognitive decline. What it does fail to do is to detail in specifics any element of both Barry's actions in office and that of his subsequent trial and return to office. The looks inside the modern Ward 8 election cycle and Barry's electorate are compelling, but this film falls far short of definitive, seemingly content to use the equivalent of news feature footage and to highlight the general story of the saga. Still essential viewing for the many new residents of the District Metroplex that know nothing of the city's politics and past history.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
02/16/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Some movies I struggle on the rating to give, but this one I immediately gave the movie 4 stars. It is a true life story of a person that struggles with the same issues that any person on any level of life struggles with. He had, no strike that, he has a drug problem. This documentary shows that this struggle with addiction or weakness attacks a person no matter what level you are in society. You can be Mayor or a regular worker bee. Womanizing can attack at the highest office in this country or attack a Mayor. This movie shows that struggle. This movie shows how lying can cause a person to hurt their friends and family. The saddest part of this movie was at the end when we learned he was still using drugs and had lied to his godson. That is true pain. That is true emotion. This is real reality TV.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
01/21/23
Full Review
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