What would it be like to run against one of the most powerful political families in America? This classic campaign documentary follows an idealistic political novice named Kevin Vigilante as he takes on 26-year-old Patrick Kennedy in a run for U.S. Congress in 1994. As Vigilante and Kennedy engage in full-scale battle — hurling mud, running negative ads (Kennedy’s ads produced by David Axelrod), and nearly coming to blows on the sidewalk — filmmaker Joshua Seftel gives us a rare glimpse into the inner workings of a horribly ugly race. A funny, cringe-worthy ride, the film deftly exposes how political campaigns are won and lost.
Watch The Making of Taking on the Kennedys.
Watch the DVD extra The Real Russell featuring writer Michael Lewis.
– The Chicago Tribune
– Wall Street Journal
– USA Today
- The Best of 1996, Time Magazine
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