Title: Knock Down the House
Rating: PG
Director: Rachel Lears
Starring: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Cori Bush, Joe Crowley
Runtime: 1hr 26min

What It Is: Potlitics is an important topic, but when it comes to the welfare of people in need and those you care for, these four women (Ocasio-Cortez, Bush, Swearengin, Vilela) featured decided to campaign to take these isseus into their own hands. They, for various reasons that are personal, work to secure positions in the democratic House, Sentate, and/or Congress.

What We Think: I don’t often insert myself into straight-up politics, but as a political documentary and what many have decided is propaganda, my two cents are as follows:

On a technical scale, it works. It’s well-edited and switches between our subjects in a way that continues to keep them interesting as their campaigns unfold intensely and we learn more about their personal histories. On a scale of appeal, I personally believe from a more objective standpoint that it is an incredibly interesting and sometimes heartwrenching endeavour to watch these people struggle to truly make change in their community—real women who have worked real jobs and know (and are able to pinpoint) what real problems society and their cities need. They clearly have real-life experience that applies to the position—question is, how would any of them fare if actually instated in office? While the main subjects make the documentary entralling to watch, it’s obvious many still would doubt the effectiveness of people with lesser experience in politics specifically—perhaps that would be a good reason for a second part of the documentary but I think would have supported its purpose tremendously if it had that point coved.

Our Grade: B, For the sake of coverage and perhaps acknowledging doubts that could arise from the message the film portrays, I would have perhaps been interested in seeing some more devil’s advocate (and then subsequently shutting down those points). Otherwise, KDTH is a documentary worth watching (personal political attribution aside) about the lengths these women are willing to go to in order to move the established, richer figureheads out of office and put change into action.