President Barack Obama walks along the West Colonnade of the White House with Chief White House Photographer Pete Souza Feb. 18, 2016. Credit: Lawrence Jackson / The White House via TNS
“The Way I See It,” a documentary by Focus Features, made its debut on MSNBC Friday, giving viewers an inside look at the presidencies of Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama through the lens of an unlikely source: Pete Souza, former chief official White House photographer.
Directed by Dawn Porter, the documentary chronicles Souza’s career as a photojournalist — or as he likes to call himself, “a historian with a camera.” The film travels back to 1987, showing footage of a younger Souza, hurriedly running into the Oval Office to take a photo of Reagan. Though Souza’s role with the Reagan presidency would come to an end, his companionship with the first family did not. Following the death of Reagan in 2004, former first lady Nancy Reagan requested that Souza photograph the funeral services.
Souza returned to the Oval Office in 2009, this time as the White House photographer for the Obama administration. Remaining by the president’s side, Souza maintained his fly-on-the-wall approach, allowing himself to slip seamlessly onto the scene no matter the intensity of the moment. Perhaps in what is his most famous photo, Souza captured the tense and anxious expressions of Obama and the national security team, gathered in the Situation Room as they watched the raid on Osama bin Laden.
Souza also captured what Obama meant to both the African and African American community, having previously traveled to Kenya during Obama’s freshman term as an Illinois senator while Souza was working for the Chicago Tribune. Pictures show thousands of Kenyans gathered to catch a glimpse of the senator, including a close-up of one spectator who was writing down the words of Obama’s speech on his hand.
Though the film acts as a visual narrative of historical landmarks, Porter also focuses on the intimacy of Souza’s work during the two presidencies. Images of Reagan embracing the first lady after her breast cancer surgery and Obama making snow angels with his daughters Malia and Sasha casts a light on the humanity of the presidents.
“It breaks down the idea that these people are somehow different from us,” historian Doris Kearns Goodwin said in the documentary.
Souza refuses to shy away from the tragic moments of the administrations, too. The film’s most heartbreaking moment comes when Souza documents Obama’s visit to Newtown, Connecticut, following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012, in which 20 children were killed. Through photographs, audiences see Obama comfort a grieving family, with the mother of a victim sobbing into the president’s arms. This demonstration of basic empathy, Souza argues, is what’s missing in today’s Trump administration.
Since leaving the White House, Souza has been openly critical of current President Donald Trump, posting photos of Obama’s presidency on social media to draw contrasts between the dignity and leadership between the two. The film’s progression from a visual history lesson to a political statement mirrors Souza’s own evolution from observer to advocate.
Though the film visually excites thanks to Souza’s thousands of photographs, I believe the narrative relies too heavily on this visual record to reminisce on the past presidencies rather than reflect on Souza’s own story and message. As I was watching, I noticed the film increasingly drew its attention away from its star, Souza, and acted as a nostalgic documentary about the Obama presidency instead.
Souza’s call for change culminates rapidly at the very end, revealing the film’s poorly executed political agenda. Stepping away from Souza’s work, Porter then reveals images of today’s America: protestors advocating for LGBTQ rights, strengthened gun control and racial equality. Despite the poignant images, I felt that this was a lopsided and rushed attempt to demonstrate the contrasts between the former and current presidents.
Souza’s judgments lingered in the background, making his advocacy seem like a footnote in the film. Had Porter balanced her critique of Trump and her admiration for the Obama administration in a more gradual progression, I think that the film’s cry for empathetic leadership would have felt less rushed. Instead, the film merely hits the surface level of advocating for the meaningful political change that it seeks to create.
Unlike Souza, the film never quite knows where or who to cast its focus on to capture the heart of the story. Nonetheless, I think the film serves as a timely narrative that indulges audiences by reminiscing on what once was as the uncertainty of a looming presidential election weighs heavily on the minds of many Americans.
