What it’s about
New York City congressman Anthony Weiner resigns from office in 2011 when it’s revealed that he had texted lewd photos of himself to women. His wife Houma Abedin, Hillary Clinton’s deputy chief of staff, stands by him throughout the scandal, and they have a son. Two years later Weiner launches a mayoral campaign. Then new “sexting” allegations arise, and the media frenzy begins anew.
Why we love it
Co-director Kriegman, a former aide of Weiner’s, is permitted extraordinary access to this sick, troubled man and his family. Unabashed at his own behavior, Weiner believes that his political acumen can eclipse his glaring personal shortcomings. “Weiner” works both as an extremely intimate portrait of self-delusion and an exposé of the voracious news media. Don’t miss this poignant, penetrating study of a man- and a marriage- in turmoil.