RBG-2018
Director Betsy West, Julie Cohen
Starring Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Scott’s Review #810
Reviewed September 10, 2018
Grade: B+
In the aftermath of the tumultuous 2016 United States Presidential election that still resonates in 2018, making a documentary about one of the most senior members of the U.S. Supreme Court is perfect timing.
This production features eighty-four-year-old Ruth Bader Ginsburg. It discusses the inspirational woman’s early life, rise to the top, and views on the current Trump administration, offering a fleshed-out chronicle of the inspirational figurehead.
Directed and produced by feminists Betsy West and Julie Cohen, this was an enormously wise move. In my opinion, much of the focus is on Ginsburg’s trailblazing reputation and her achievements with gender-discrimination law.
More than once, it is pointed out that Ginsburg, with her tiny stature, pulled-back hair, and thick glasses, was not to be taken seriously in a world of men. Despite her serious demeanor, she nevertheless proved herself against many odds.
The documentary wisely emphasizes Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s current state. It discusses her childhood, parents, family, and friends in detail, but the heart of the film is positioned in the present.
This can only be assumed because of the volatile and relevant current political state and the importance of the Supreme Court in its current state of conservative leanings.
Ginsburg is now the furthest left-leaning judge- a point the documentary stresses not without some urgency.
The documentary begins with “RBG,” as she has adoringly come to be known, working out with her trainer. At age eighty-four, this is remarkable and encompasses her hard work ethic, inside and outside the courtroom.
The film stresses her endurance and dedication to the job. One family member comments how Ginsburg will frequently work until four in the morning, stay up all night, and then sleep for sixteen hours to play “catch-up.”
RBG—the film—shares sweet moments alongside the legal courtroom facts so that it is not oversaturated by legal jargon and terms.
A nice touch is the focus on Ginsburg’s husband, a lively, boisterous, and comical man who perfectly balances his wife’s mannerisms and characteristics. According to many sources in the documentary, they are a perfect match—this portrays a more romantic (and needed) element to the overall story.
Ginsburg was granted the highest honor during President Clinton’s term, a pivotal time in United States history when the Supreme Court took a more left-of-center turn.
In 2018, the Court swung harshly in the other direction, making Ginsburg a tremendously instrumental figure. In the documentary, the courageous lady astutely points out that she “will do the job as long as she can do the job.”
RBG (2018) is an incredibly important documentary in a highly tumultuous time. Not only are women’s rights, specifically Roe v. Wade, in serious trouble, but the country is also in danger of taking a stark turn to the right and thereby going backward.
Leave it to a dear eighty-four-year-old woman with courage for miles to lead the charge for freedom and the progressive movement. The years ahead will tell us how this turns out, but the documentary excels at relaying its vital importance.
Oscar Nominations: Best Documentary-Feature, Best Original Song-“I’ll Fight”