Dark Money

Dark Money, a political documentary film that explores the influence of corporate finance on local, state, and federal elections, was released in 2018. Directed and produced by documentary veteran Kimberly Reed, the film stars prominent figures such as Senator Jon Tester, Debra Bonogofsky, and Jim Peterson, among others, as it delves into campaign finance law and the reality of how political campaigns are funded in the United States.

Set in the backdrop of Montana, with its scenic landscapes and contentious political history, the movie examines the state's reaction to the Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling. This was a pivotal decision that allowed corporations to spend unlimited amounts of money on political campaigns, thus significantly influencing the American democratic process. Dark Money delves into the impact of this ruling, tracing its fingerprints as anonymous campaign contributions severely skew public decision-making.

The perspective of the film is humanized and grounded by individuals deeply entangled within the system it critiques. We see Senator Jon Tester, a Democrat from Montana, struggling to uphold democratic values in this new world of murky election finance. His contributions to the film paint a vivid picture of the ground-level effects these high-stakes political decisions have on lawmakers and the policies they create.

Debra Bonogofsky, a small businesswoman and self-proclaimed conservative, also contributes to the narrative, adding a vital perspective from outside the traditional political sphere. Her courtroom battles against politically motivated attacks funded by dark money relevantly enforce the recurring theme of the documentary regarding everyday people's struggles against an opaque system.

At the judicial level, we interact with Jim Peterson, a former Montana Supreme Court Judge. Peterson’s experiences and insights offer a unique glance into the intricacies of law, highlighting the collision between constitutional rights and corporate intervention in democracy.

The film functions as an exposé on how vast, anonymous expenditures, often from big corporations, unions, or wealthy individuals, flood political campaigns. These untraceable political contributions, often known as 'Dark Money,' can greatly influence election outcomes, encouraging candidates to potentially prioritize the interests that fund them instead of their constituents. This poses dire implications for the essence of democracy, affecting the very principles of representation, autonomy, and transparency.

Furthermore, Dark Money underscores the importance and challenges of journalistic work in a world where money concealment has become common. The film presents a real-life scenario demonstrating how investigative journalism is a crucial tool for revealing these covert activities and holding individuals and corporations accountable.

However, despite the film's grave subject matter, Dark Money also highlights the resilience of democracy and the potential for change. Montana, a state facing persistent intervention of dark money, becomes an emblem of resistance as it fights to impose stringent campaign finance laws and take a stand against corporate domination in politics. Moreover, the stories of Tester, Bonogofsky, and Peterson - along with other figures suffering the consequences of the system's complexities but continuing to resist - echo a note of optimism and action around the fight against the influence of money in politics.

A true braiding of suspense and educational content, Dark Money weaves a well-crafted narrative through interviews, historical footage, court case presentations, and investigative journalism. Director Kimberly Reed does a remarkable job capturing the complexity of campaign funding while delivering an insightful and thought-provoking viewing on a timely matter.

It is an enlightening tale that leaves viewers with a better understanding of the complex and hidden world of campaign finance and its impacts, making it both an important educational resource and an engaging documentary film.