Jimmy Carter Man from Plains

Perhaps this should have been entitled 'The President and His Book' because most of the documentary is about the book tour that Jimmy Carter took when he published his controversial book 'Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid'. We follow Jimmy as he crosses the U.S. to promote his book. Nevertheless we get a very candid and close-up view of this ex-President. He comes off very well - an honest, forthright individual who has accomplished much since he left the Presidency in 1980. Compared to the last 8 years (2000-08), here is man who can express his feelings and fears. I couldn't help but feel as I was watching, that if another, less well known individual had written the same book, the media up-roar over it would have been far less pronounced.

"Jimmy Carter: Man from Plains" is not a biography of the 39th President of the United States; nor is it a chronicle of his time as President, or even of his work with Habitat for Humanities, though both are touched upon in the course of the film. Rather it is a documentary account of a national book tour Carter conducted in late 2006 to promote his controversial and provocatively entitled tome, "Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid." Carter basically gives two reasons why he felt compelled to write the book: 1) the fact that there had been no peace talks between the Israelis and the Palestinians in the then- five or six years of the Bush administration, and 2) what he sees as the unfair treatment of the Palestinians who live in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

Anyone daring (or foolish) enough to venture into this minefield of a topic risks detonating intense passions on both sides of the conflict, but Carter's history and reputation as a peacemaker between the two aggrieved parties would appear to give him some cover on the issue. Well, not exactly, for we see many, mostly pro-Israeli groups and individuals, protesting and challenging him as he travels around the country providing interviews on this hyper-sensitive subject.

As a movie, "Jimmy Carter: Man From Plains" is no more than serviceable, even though it comes with an impressive pedigree, namely Jonathan Demme for a director. It is obviously sympathetic to Carter's position and it nicely illustrates the basic decency and humanity of a man who has hit the pinnacle of power yet still manages to remain true to the small town values of humility and service on which he was raised. But it's also unimaginative and redundant and probably isn't going to do much to assuage the concerns of those who hold opposing views to his.

It's worth seeing for its historical significance though.

Set primarily along the signing tour of his latest controversial book, Jimmy Carter Man from Plains takes us inside the private life of the much maligned 39th President of the United States.

Politics aside, it is a well made and enjoyable two hours. Most enjoyable were the few occasions that showed the ex-Prez at home in Plains or interacting with makeup artists, town people at a BBQ, or on set prior to being on the air.

The documentary primarily deals with talking about his choice to use the word "Apartheid" in the title and charges of anti-Semite stances in the book, of which Carter fervently disagrees.

The documentary is not by any stretch a thorough commentary on Carter's presidency or political takes, it is more a one month "slice of life" of a very active, 83 year old ex-President that still is trying to remain relevant some 27 years out of office.

I highly recommend it even if you are not a big Carter supporter. It is not often that we get the chance to ride along with a President, or ex- President, and it was an enjoyable and informative ride!

Jonathan Demme's documentary follows Jimmy Carter on the tour for his book "Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid", an extremely controversial book for many reasons, not the least of which is the choice of the word "Apartheid".

I'm not going to talk about that controversy because I don't think it has much to do with what I took away from this film. Like Demme's film "Cousin Bobby", this is a film about a man who takes his Christianity and his obligation to his fellow man very seriously, and really puts his beliefs into action. I think it's impossible to come away from this without a deep admiration for Carter whether you agree with him about the Middle East or not. He's a smart, humble and very even-tempered man and I hope to have even 1/4 of his energy when I'm his age.

Jonathan Demme makes a misstep in this documentary with the former president. I believe that Jimmy Carter's advocacy of peace is sincere. But this film in support of the controversial book does nothing to advocate his position nor incite any discussion.

Demme's film leaves us with no legacy or message. We simply aren't provided enough content to understand the former president's position. Over two hours was spent watching Carter enter and exit limousines and hotel rooms. More time is spent watching Cater sign books than explaining the controversial Palestinian policies.

Former Vice President, Al Gore, made complex facts simple and digestible in his film. Unfortunately, President Carter made a complex situation and the associated politics even more distant. Carter and Demme, both articulate men, did not get a message across. Don't waste your time.