Nick Broomfield's films have been concerned with controversial political figures who wielded genuine power and influence in the past, memorably Margaret Thatcher and Eugene Terreblanche. A gaffe-prone vice-presidential candidate who was on the losing ticket at the 2008 American election would seem small fry in comparison, yet Sarah Palin remains an intriguing, divisive figure in the States and beyond, and, as Broomfield points out, one of the fascinating things about her is not that she failed in a bid to get to the White House, but how close she came to it. Broomfield and Joan Churchill travel to Wasilla, Alaska, where Palin was a school sports star and beauty queen before being elected mayor, a major step on her journey to becoming state governor. He speaks to her parents, and to former aides and supporters, many of whom feel they were thrown 'under the bus' as Palin's political career advanced. While he admits to being briefly charmed when he comes into Palin's orbit, the picture is painted of a disengaged, self-serving opportunist whose political days are numbered. At the time of writing, Palin has yet to deny she'll seek the Republican nomination for the Presidency in 2012. This film could influence how much her candidacy would be cheered or derided.
Michael Hayden