Fauci

This was a very uncomfortable sort of watch.

It seems an odd time to be telling the life story of a man like Fauci, mainly because he is still in the midst of some of the most important events in his life. It's like a Churchill documentary being made during WW2. Not really wrong, just incomplete and perhaps inappropriate timing.

My discomfort with this film really rests in some of the interview choices. Lots of appealing to authority. This film picks its interviews the same way I pick references for my resume: with great caution. The difference being that all parties involved know that a job applicant is meant to sell themselves. Anthony Fauci is without doubt an fascinating and worthy person to be the subject of a biography, so why do I feel like I'm being sold something here?

I'd have to say based on the other reviews I've read that are low, I doubt many even watched past the trailer. This is not a political documentary, it is a humanitarian one.

This documentary is good. To be fair, it is sympathetic towards Dr. Fauci, but in my opinion, it isn't overly sympathetic towards him. It spends more time on the HIV/AIDS epidemic than the Covid-19 pandemic. And does not spend a lot of time bashing any political person. It discusses the disagreements between todays politics, but does not drag on about them.

It was well made, features lots of old footage from the AIDS epidemic, as well as public figures that discuss the topics.

So you're sifting through the reviews and you find yourself confused. Many reviews suggest that it is ignorant and zombie like to called Fauci 1/10, but these same reviews give Fauci 10/10 as if it's the most mindblowing thing ever. Hypocritical, to say the least; perhaps even offensive how some belittle other reviews based on science. Fauci himself has unquestioningly become a controversial man, and I'll admit my view on him isn't ver favorable coming into the documentary, but for the sake of being fair I will grade the documentary, not Fauci himself.

The documentary does take a positive approach to Fauci which is fine, a documentary that speaks of Abraham Lincoln in a positive light does not mean it's bad documentary. The difference is a documentary on Lincoln has the benefit of hindsight and can look back on the life of Lincoln - removed from any contemporary feelings. The Fauci documentary is not. It is well produced which is why I find it naive to call it a 1 or 2 star production, but because of the timing it feels more like a sales advertisement for a car rather than a documentary. It did shed some light on a few of Fauci's more controversial moments, but refuses to take a truly deep and even-handed look at any of the major points in his life. That's why this documentary feels weird, it feels more like a propaganda piece than a documentary; maybe I'm wrong but that's how it comes across especially when their interview selections are more people of authority and not too much of those average Joe's who were greatly affected by Fauci (for better or worse). So in the end, this is a well produced but awkward documentary that should have waited and instead unfortunately calls into question National Geographic's ability to look at the bigger picture.

This is an important film, because the main subject is in some ways, NOT Dr. Anthony Fauci, but the concept of, and the acceptance of, science.

This doc includes a large part of the HIV/AIDS controversy, and Dr. Fauci's part in bringing it into the daynight for inspection. Coincidentally enough, this quote is from that era:

"There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there always has been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge'." -Isaac Asimov, January 21, 1980.

Go see this film, and make your own judgements. It is well-made, and important!

I very much liked this movie for two reasons: 1) It's a useful and evenhanded documentary of one of the leading Public Health experts in the world and, because of that, very much worth watching if you have an interest in Fauci, epidemiology, or public health. Well paced, interesting, and informative.

And;

2) The long list of sad, triggered keyboard warriors that couldn't help but give 1 star "reviews" of this title (ironically showing they hadn't bothered watching it) that amount to mass-screaming "Dunning-Kruger!!" into the void because their fee-fees were hurt.

More content like this, please.

Good documentaries with a delicious dessert of willfully ignorant tears is just the best.

The. Best.