Politics have become so divisive these days that campaigns are often based more on what a candidate is not rather than what they are. It’s refreshing, therefore, to see a politician whose identity is integral to their desire to achieve a certain office. This documentary’s title indicates the informality and folksiness attributed to its protagonist, a man who may actually be one of the most put-together, presentable people in the political world today. That would be Pete Buttigieg, the extremely likeable and publicly gay mayor of South Bend, Indiana who made a run for the presidency in 2020…
Being gay is not the only aspect of who Pete is, but it is a big part of it and one that broke new ground when he shared the debate stage with other Democratic presidential candidates...
He performed impressively in important primaries. He doesn’t see his gayness as an impediment, but does recognize the difficulty of being different in any way, particularly growing up in the Midwest. What makes the already endearing Pete even more sympathetic is his warm relationship with another man who serves as a larger focus of this documentary: his husband Chasten.
To know that family values of any kind exist is reassuring in a world where an overwhelming number of elected officials have allegations of sexual misconduct leveied against them, and the affection that Pete and Chasten clearly share is far more than the minimum expected for the camera. One hilarious scene finds Chasten firing off a series of puns as Pete is about to go deliver a speech, amusing himself to no end and making Pete roll his eyes and smile. Another heartwarming moment shows Chasten getting a call from Dr. Jill Biden after Pete drops out of the presidential race, showing a respect and friendship that is also too hard to find in today’s political climate.
Any profile documentary is bound to show its subject in a particular and purposeful light, and this one definitely makes the case for Pete as a relatable guy whose campaign operation feels more intimate and personable than other notable candidates. His closest advisers speak bluntly and transparently with him, never eager to puff him up or distract him from what’s really going on. Still the film also doesn’t shy away from the less rosy moments, like when the police killing of a Black man in South Bend puts Pete on the defensive as he must contend with trouble at home that will almost certainly affect his national chances.
Mayor Pete is a strong follow-up to director Jesse Moss’ Emmy-winning, Oscar-shortlisted Boys State, zeroing in on a different point on the political spectrum. It’s successful at stirring up inspirational energy, despite the fact that Pete’s presidential run did not ultimately succeed. The experience of watching it is, therefore, reminiscent of seeing another campaign trail documentary Running with Beto, at SXSW, though this one has a happier ending since its progressive protagonist has in fact reached a significant office that will enable him to continue making change. If audiences don’t already like the youngest and first openly gay U.S. Secretary of Transportation before screening this documentary, they very likely will after doing so. B+
Mayor Pete served as the opening night film at NewFest, and arrives on Amazon Prime Video Friday November 12th