The Final Year

Play trailer

1:00

The Final Year

2018

1h 29m

Documentary

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

83%

Tomatometer

105 Reviews

49%

Popcornmeter

250+ Ratings

An account of President Barack Obama's foreign policy team during their last year in office.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

The Final Year uses director Greg Barker's wide-ranging access to take a detailed inside look at the closing months of the Obama administration.

Read Critics Reviews

J. R. Jones

Chicago Reader

The arbitrary time frame forces [Greg] Barker into a ceaseless chronology of foreign trips that frustrates any serious consideration of the team's successes (in Cuba and Iran) or failures (in Syria).

Mar 10, 2020

Full Review

Tara Brady

Irish Times

Unhappily, the "unprecedented access" afforded Greg Barker's often rudderless documentary largely consists of spin, pillow shots and political humblebragging. If you're hoping for Obama's very own West Wing spin-off, you'll soon be disappointed.

Rated: 2/5

Jan 25, 2018

Full Review

Richard Whittaker

Austin Chronicle

The deepest frustration is that Barker had seemingly unrestricted access to one of the most revolutionary and skilled White House offices of the postwar era, yet the end result is like condensing an entire season of The West Wing.

Rated: 3/5

Jan 25, 2018

Full Review

Brian T. Carney

Washington Blade

While these vignettes are fascinating, “The Final Year” lacks framework and context. The fly-on-the-wall perspective offers incredible details, but not the big picture.

Dec 15, 2022

Full Review

David Lamble

Bay Area Reporter

I marveled at how director Greg Barker sliced and diced a tumultuous period.

Jun 3, 2020

Full Review

Matthew Anderson

CineVue

The Final Year is a parting gift, a sermon that teaches without preaching to the converted, worthy of its charismatic leader.

Rated: 4/5

May 24, 2019

Full Review

Read all reviews

Audience Member

A well crafted documentary that shows the inner workings of the state department during Obama's last year.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/12/23

Full Review

dave d

It's hard to imagine we've improved our standing around the world since the change in the presidency, and it feels like decades ago that Obama was in office, but 'The Final Year' takes a look at the (at the time) lame duck President and a few members of his cabinet. There's nothing earth shattering here nor is there any real controversy, but it is nonetheless interesting. Final Score:7.1/10

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Obama's final year on foreign policy seen and spoken by his major staff -- Kerry, Rhodes, Power. Especially significant are his trips to Hiroshima & Laos, demonstrating that this is a POTUS that doesn't just believe in force/strength as power, but realizing one's past mistake as a nation & man enough to step up and apologize for it. That is mensch. Something Trump will never ever understand.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/02/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Informative, never enthralling.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

Full Review

Audience Member

somehow manages to be very dull despite the subject matter and potential for insight. Samantha power are some others are preening for the camera.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/23/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I just went to see this movie with the goal of understanding what John McCain said when he meant that this is the movie they tortured him with when he was a POW. This is just another brain melting (except maybe for Gabby Giffords) Obama worshipping mess meant to further the anti-Trump agenda Hollywood is so enamoured with... At least they are not trying to normalize pedophillia

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/23/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Greg Barker

Director

Ben Rhodes

Self

Samantha Power

Self

John Kerry

Self

Susan Rice

Self

Barack Obama

Self

Legion of Brothers

100%

68%

Legion of Brothers

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Legion of Brothers

Weiner

96%

83%

Weiner

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Weiner

The Great Invisible

94%

73%

The Great Invisible

Watchlist

Listen to Me Marlon

95%

88%

Listen to Me Marlon

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Listen to Me Marlon

The Serengeti Rules

91%

78%

The Serengeti Rules

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

12 Strong Is a Little Flimsy

The Final Year: Trailer 2

1:00

The Final Year: Trailer 1

2:26

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

An account of President Barack Obama's foreign policy team during their last year in office.

Director: Greg Barker
Producer: Julie Goldman, John Battsek, Greg Barker
Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
Production Co: Passion Pictures, Prettybird, Motto Pictures
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 19, 2018, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 19, 2018
Runtime: 1h 29m

Most Popular at Home Now