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The Final Year

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The Final Year

Released Jan 19, 2018

1h 29m

Documentary

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Popcornmeter

83%

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105 Reviews

49%

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250+ Ratings

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

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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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

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David Lamble

Bay Area Reporter

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

Jun 3, 2020

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Audience Member

Informative, never enthralling.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

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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

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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

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Greg Barker

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Ben Rhodes

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Samantha Power

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John Kerry

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Susan Rice

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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

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