Movie Review: The Way I See It

The captivating new documentary, The Way I See It, chronicles the years that photographer Pete Souza spent as the White House Staff Photographer—first, briefly under Ronald Reagan, and then Barack Obama (though it mostly focuses on the Obama years)—and then on a tour promoting his bestselling book from 2018, Shade: A Tale of Two Presidents.

Following the Obama presidency, Souza became a celebrity on his own when his Instagram page became a stark critique of Obama’s successor. That outspoken voice is what fuels the trajectory of the film, giving it a bite that few documentaries possess. While it may fall into the category of biased filmmaking to some, there is no shortage of an attempt at balanced presentation. Such as when the current decorating scheme of the oval office is contrasted with that of the Obama administration with the simple statement, “I kinda like the old curtains better.” It is in instances such as this that Souza is leaving it for the viewer to decide on his or her own who exactly is the more favorable president (though his personal preference is obviously no secret).

That tone is present throughout and the film benefits greatly from it. While the viewer may be gently guided toward a leaning, there is no direct condemnation of the opposing point of view (though things do get a bit murkier later on in the film). There are also moments where a picture is, indeed, worth a thousand words, such as the stark difference between a reception held by the Obamas wherein the president is hands-on and interacts up close with everyday people of differing backgrounds and ethnic heritage and the Trumps are shown amidst a gathering of what looks to be several well-to-do people of similar dispositions all keeping their distance from the president and first lady. This sort of narrative manipulation may feel dishonest to some, but the way in which the film allows Souza’s photography to do most of the speaking for him is the ace in the hole for The Way I See It. There is no way to deny that one subject handles himself and his business in a far more humanizing and personal way than the other, regardless of your political affiliation.

Director Dawn Porter does an effective job of emulating the fly-on-the-wall perspective that photojournalists, such as Souza, aspire to achieve when covering the subjects they do. This makes for a fairly immersive film that becomes particularly emotional in several instances wherein the humanity of our elected officials is put to the test.

Ultimately, The Way I See It is less a documentary about Pete Souza’s career as a photojournalist during the Obama administration as it is a treatise about the integrity of the office of the President. As that, the film proves wildly entertaining, profoundly emotional, and thought-provoking.

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Mike Tyrkus

Editor in Chief at CinemaNerdz.com

An independent filmmaker, co-writer and director of over a dozen short films, the Editor in Chief of CinemaNerdz.com has spent much of the last three decades as a writer and editor specializing in biographical and critical reference sources in literature and the cinema, beginning in February 1991 reviewing films for his college newspaper. He was a member of the Detroit Film Critics Society, as well as the group's webmaster and one-time President for over a decade until the group ceased to exist. His contributions to film criticism can be found in Magill's Cinema Annual, VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever (of which he was the editor for nearly a decade until it too ceased to exist), the International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, and the St. James Film Directors Encyclopedia (on which he collaborated with editor Andrew Sarris). He has also appeared on the television program Critic LEE Speaking alongside Lee Thomas of FOX2 and Adam Graham, of The Detroit News. He currently lives in the Detroit area with his wife and their dogs.

@miketyrkus

Mike Tyrkus

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