The Final Year

The Final Year is a thought-provoking 2017 documentary film that closely scrutinizes the last year of Barack Obama's administration. Providing candid behind-the-scenes insight, the film mainly focuses on the foreign policy team's efforts to shape their administration’s legacy before they leave office. Its principal characters are Ben Rhodes, Samantha Power, and John Kerry.

Moving beyond the usual political rhetoric, The Final Year offers viewers a palpable sense of how policy actions are deliberated and carried out within the White House. Directed by acclaimed documentarian Greg Barker, this film beautifully utilizes unstaged footage, revealing intimate moments within the White House and the United Nations, as well as on travels to various countries. It provides a holistic perspective of the intense, high-stakes world of international diplomacy and relations.

Enjoy exclusive access to former President Obama's foreign policy team, showcasing Samantha Power, the United Nations Ambassador; John Kerry, the Secretary of State; and Ben Rhodes, the Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications. Rhodes, a former speechwriter and close confidant of Obama, takes a central role in the narrative, offering compelling accounts of their strategic choices and the personal toll of the work on the participants.

The Final Year starts with a whirlwind tour, with the foreign policy team crisscrossing the globe, meeting world leaders, and trying to reassure allies about American intentions abroad. Diplomatic efforts to tackle international challenges such as climate change, the Iran nuclear deal, the Syrian Civil War, North Korea's saber-rattling, and rising tensions between Russia and NATO forms the heart of the film’s central plot.

In parallel, the movie offers glimpses of the behind-the-scene campaigners who are working tirelessly to leave a lasting mark. Samantha Power emerges as a passionate advocate, relentlessly pursuing her belief in the power of diplomacy and multilateral institutions. In contrast, John Kerry, the veteran diplomat, carries the weight of the world on his shoulders, seeking solutions to seemingly untenable problems.

The film digs into the human elements of politics and governance as well. It portrays the relentless pace, the emotional drain, the constant checks on optimism, and the desperate attempts to push forward agendas on a fast-approaching timeline. Furthermore, it encapsulates the emotion, pressure, and sheer stamina required of those in the highest offices in the land.

Importantly, the film doesn't shy away from showcasing the failures of the administration’s foreign policy efforts, painting a realistic picture of the complexities, hurdles, and the high stakes involved in international diplomacy. The Syrian Civil War is a running thread throughout the narrative, a constant reminder of the dreams unfulfilled and the challenges that persist.

While it could be easy to become disillusioned by the politics presented in The Final Year, the film doesn't let you off the hook that easily. It invites viewers to delve deeper into the interplay of personalities, politics, and the power of governance – of how real lives are affected by lofty ideals and pragmatic politics. It's a study of both the power and limits of diplomacy.

In its closing, the film foreshadows the seismic shift in American foreign policy under the upcoming administration, capturing the sheer disbelief and shock within Obama's team and leaving viewers to ponder the fragility of political legacies in the face of transformative politics.

The Final Year is a compelling look at modern presidential legacies, international relations, and the critical role of diplomacy. It captures the essence of Obama's core foreign policy team, their high ideals, intense efforts, and heartbreaking failures. It’s not just a valuable document for historians or political junkies, but a film that will resonate with those curious about the role of American leadership on the world stage and the complexities of global politics.