Although the four women featured inRachel Lears’ documentaryKnock Down the Houseare all Democrats, it’s not really a Democrat-vs-Republican movie. It assumes you share the liberal viewpoints of its subjects and then moves not to a battle on the political spectrum, but a larger fight of insurgents versus the establishment. Lears’ taps into the zeitgeist by showing people who feel that the system no longer works for them, and that it’s run by lobbyists and special interests that shut out the working class. AlthoughAlexandria Ocasio-Cortezis the “star” ofKnock Down the House, the movie is at its best when it shows the hard work of community organizing. There are times when the documentary feels more designed to be inspiring than informative, but it’s also a vital snapshot of the Democratic party’s transformation to a more progressive vision for America.
Ocasio-Cortez, running to unseatJoe Crowleyin New York’s 14th district, is the through line forKnock Down the House, but the film also brings some attention toPaula Jean Swearengin(running againstJoe Manchinfor the West Virginia Senate),Cori Bush(running againstLacy Clayin the Missouri 1st), andAmy Vilela(running againstSteve Horsfordin the Nevada 4th). The connective tissue is that not only as women do these candidates have to play a tougher game when the deck is stacked in favor of white men, but they also have to fight against an establishment that has a vested interest in keeping its hands on the levers of power. The four candidates are fighting clearly for the interests of the working class, who have been shut out of the political process in favor of lobbyists and special interests.
Knock Down the Housebriefly touches on community organizing and the source for these candidates by noting the work of Justice Democrats and Brand New Congress, but they become more of a footnote in the story of the candidates themselves, and ultimately, in the story of Ocasio-Cortez. The movie belongs to her because she’s the most well-known of the candidates: a Latina bartender who was recruited to run by a grassroots organization and who ended up taking down the 4th most powerful Democrat in the House of Representatives. Lears’ documentary adds some texture to Ocasio-Cortez’ now-famous narrative by showing the person behind the legend, and you may immediately see why she connected with voters.
Within the framework of insurgents versus the establishment, it’s easy to understand why Ocasio-Cortez scares the hell out of the establishment, both on the left and the right. She’s playing a 21st century game and knows how to speak directly to working class voters. If Ocasio-Cortez represents the future (andKnock Down the Housethinks that she does), that’s horrifying for the political establishment that is comfortable with the game where everyone is bought and paid for by special interests. Once you seeKnock Down the House, it makes total sense whyestablishment Democrats dismiss her, andRepublicans call her a socialist. I don’t know if Ocasio-Cortez is a force to be reckoned with as a congresswoman (the clips of her taking down people in congressional hearings is promising) because it’s too early to tell. But judging Ocasio-Cortez on her campaigning, I pity any challenger who tries to take her on.
The main problem with framing the movie around Ocasio-Cortez is that you lose sight of the bigger picture that’s being painted by grassroots organizing. The more the film is about Ocasio-Cortez, the more it seems like she’s winning on the strength of her individuality rather than being part of a movement. It sends the message that what matters isn’t the nuts-and-bolts campaigning or the unglamorous work of politics, but simply being an effective messenger. I don’t thinkKnock Down the Housepaints Ocasio-Cortez as a cult of personality figure, but I also think that in its quest to highlight an inspiring figure, it loses sight of what makes the next Ocasio-Cortez and how to really strike down the establishment. Finding exceptional people is certainly a start, but there’s more to it than that.
Knock Down the Househas the framework of a David vs. Goliath story, but its best moments are seeinghowDavid plans to take down Goliath. There’s a brilliant scene where Ocasio-Cortez compares her mailer to Crowley’s. Her mailer is simple and effective; it highlights her name, the date of the primary, and her key positions. Crowley’s mailer is bloated and inept, the product of consultants and the D.C. establishment that doesn’t want anything to do with voters other than keeping them in line with platitudes and pork. In these moments whenKnock Down the Housedrills down into the gulf between the establishment and the progressive insurgency, it hints at a future where our hope stretches beyond just a handful of inspiring candidates.
