Prime Minister

Utz and Walshe, the documentarians, get the facts straight, paint the portrait and let PM Jacinda Ardern shine.

World leaders have rarely been captured with as much intimacy.

Directors Michelle Walshe & Lindsay Utz’s film “Prime Minister” takes a fairly straightforward approach with a gentle touch.

Even with its omissions and glossiness -- a typical side effect of insider access -- Prime Minister’s portrait of Ardern is so persuasive it might make you wish you could vote for her.

It just feels like propaganda when it’s so obviously one-sided but it’s well made propaganda so there’s that.

A behind-the-scenes look at the challenges of running a country, including the goal of redefining leadership in a way that’s compassionate and human.

The movie does a good job both holding our interest and crafting a three-dimensional profile of its subject. Ardern is here presented without vanity, able to look back and ponder her own timeline and draw lessons from it.

Whereas many films might falter from such a status quo approach, Prime Minister plays so well within its own comfort zone, resulting in a compelling documentary for the masses.

Documentaries with access levels such as this one often find themselves in a trade-off between intimacy and perspective.

This film sets a bold and exciting tone from the start with Ardern explaining those feelings as the election is about to happen, and what ensues from there is a film with remarkable access to its subject.