Film

Mitt

Name: Mitt
Genre: Documentary
Released: 2014
Cast: Mitt Romney, Candy Crowley, Eric Draper, Jim Lehrer, John McCain

Political drama

Greg Grunberg's 2014 documentary follows Mitt Romney's 2012 presidential campaign with intimate, unguarded access to the candidate and his family. It's a rare glimpse of what happens behind closed doors—the vulnerability, doubt, and machinery of American politics. Fascinating for anyone curious about how power operates, or who Romney actually is beneath the public mask.

TMDb rating

3.2

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you are drawn to political documentaries where closeness matters more than argument, and you want to see a public man's rehearsed self loosen around the people who know him best.

Skip it if you want a clear verdict or a sharp critical stance, since this stays close to its subject and mostly observes rather than pushing an argument either way.

What it asks of you: Ninety-three minutes of unhurried, mostly quiet observation, so settle in and let the access build rather than expecting the film to hand you its point.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

The War Room1993

Follows Bill Clinton's 1992 campaign with similar behind-the-scenes intimacy. A masterclass in political strategy and the human cost of running for office. Buckley and Hegedus pioneered this access.

But Very much a product of its era; some of the media landscape feels quaint now. Also dense with day-to-day campaign minutiae that can feel repetitive.

Our Brand Is Crisis2005

Follows American consultants running a Bolivian presidential campaign. Sharper, darker, and funnier than you'd expect—exposes how politics becomes a game detached from consequences.

But Can feel cynical to the point of exhaustion. The subjects aren't as sympathetic as in Mitt, which might frustrate you.

The Fog of War2003

Errol Morris interviews Robert McNamara about his time as Defense Secretary. A profound meditation on power, accountability, and how we justify our decisions. Visually inventive and deeply human.

But Heavy subject matter about war and moral failure. Long stretches are McNamara's voice alone; not a fast watch.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Mitt

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Grey Gardens1976

Both capture people aware they're being filmed, managing their image in real time. Both show private moments that contradict public presentation—vulnerability as a form of uncontrolled truth-telling.

The Maysles brothers filmed reclusive socialites Big Edie and Little Edie in their crumbling mansion. Not politics, but the same DNA—intimate observation of people performing identity for the camera, unraveling under scrutiny. Hypnotic.

But Slow, repetitive, and sometimes feels cruel to its subjects. The Edies are difficult people, and the film doesn't soften that. Requires patience with unglamorous reality.

Weiner2016

Documents Anthony Weiner's 2013 mayoral campaign after his sexting scandal. Raw, uncomfortable, and strangely moving—a portrait of humiliation and the desperate need for redemption.

But The subject is unsympathetic in ways that make it hard to root for anyone. Some find it exploitative rather than illuminating.

The World for the Two of Us2022

Follows a longtime friendship between a conservative and progressive voter through the 2020 election. Warm and genuinely curious about how people with opposite views actually live together.

But Its optimism about dialogue can feel naive. If you want edge or confrontation, you won't find it here.

HyperNormalisation2016

Adam Curtis's essay-film argues that politics became a scripted performance. Dizzying montage of archive footage and Curtis's distinctive narration. A wild, ambitious attempt to explain how we got here.

But Deliberately fragmented and sometimes incoherent—Curtis doesn't believe in neat argument. For some, it's profound; for others, pretentious.

Tickled2016

Starts with competitive tickling and becomes a stunning investigation into deception, obsession, and power. Keeps surprising you long after you think it's done. Superbly crafted.

But The subject matter becomes genuinely disturbing. Some will find it exploitative; others simply uncomfortable viewing.

Becoming2020

Intimate documentary following Michelle Obama on her book tour. Genuinely affecting portrait of a woman reflecting on her life and role. Sometimes lighter and more personal than you'd expect.

But Very much a favorable portrait—no one's forcing hard questions. If you want scrutiny over warmth, this isn't it.

The Act of Killing2012

Both documents how proximity to power lets people believe their own stories. Both show the slippery nature of confession, performance, and accountability when the camera's rolling.

Joshua Oppenheimer asks Indonesian death-squad leaders to stage and watch recreations of their own murders. Excruciating, strange, and impossible to look away from. A portrait of people constructing mythology around atrocity.

But Deeply unsettling. Watching perpetrators trivialize mass murder is designed to make you furious and disturbed. Not a comfortable watch.

Glengarry Glen Ross1992

Both dissect the machinery of persuasion: how people package themselves, pivot their message, and tell themselves a story that makes their choices feel inevitable. Both find dark comedy in the gap between pitch and reality.

Adapts Mamet's play about brutal salesmen competing for survival. Not a documentary, but the same engine—watching skilled performers work a room, convince the unconvinceable, and rationalize ruthlessness as just good business.

But It's a play, not cinema—theatrical and stagey. Brutal in ways that might feel dated or one-note. Jack Lemmon's desperation is devastating but relentless.