Regardless of where one falls on the issue of climate change, there remains no denying the global environment’s shift in terms of meteorological intensity and rampant temperature spikes, whether clinging to the belief that this phenomenon exists as part of our planet’s natural cycle or accepting the facts of humanity’s role in causing such events, climate change is here, has been for years and appears it shall remain an intrusive presence in the life of our species farther into the future than we could begin to imagine. “The White House Effect,” a documentary focusing on three presidential administrations stretching back to the 1970s with a cut-to-the-chase approach as we witness each commander-in-chief respond to this growing threat and how it sets up our bleak present is far from the polish of, say, “An Inconvenient Truth,” but not without its own chutzpah, essentially allowing science, along with 100% archival footage, to effectively do much of the talking.
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Following a brief introduction in which a montage of news clips from decades prior show how the public has begun to react to the extreme heat that’s started to materialize over that year’s summer, along with congressional hearings from the late ’80s in which legendary climatologist James Hansen first presents his hard data as to this drastic environmental shift, the film quickly takes us back to the days of Jimmy Carter, as we see the one-term Democrat seated within the Oval Office, lost in thought. He can’t deny what’s been brought to his attention; CO2 levels, on the rise in all likelihood from the rampant burning of fossil fuels, have become an undeniable global issue, and immediate steps must be outlined in an effort not only to curb but potentially halt further growth. The plan sees our 39th president explore both possible uses of solar energy on a widespread level and massive caps on mass consumption of anything that could negatively impact our planet, leading to the gas crisis of 1979 and a dropping approval rating of Carter.
Waiting in the wings were the tag team of Republican nominee Ronald Reagan, who, along with running mate George H.W. Bush, would take office in 1981 for two terms that would see an about-face from the attempts made by Carter to begin healing our planet as Reagan does what he can to curry American favor by lowering inflation and largely ignoring the “Greenhouse Effect,” a term coined to describe the escalating climate dilemma. Bush, a former Texas oil tycoon, took office in 1989; among his first duties was electing John Sununu to chief of staff and Bill Reilly to head the EPA. It’s in the Bush years that much of the film’s focus sits, as it soon becomes evident of a tug-of-war between the hard denier that is Sununu and Bill Reilly, with Bush firmly in the middle. However, his background in the industry casts an inescapable shadow over his term. As Reilly witnesses firsthand the devastation of the Exxon-Valdez incident and comments on whether our dependency on oil has become a significant issue, future Vice President Al Gore, then senator, can be seen speaking with an increasingly worried Hansen as the former probes into reports apparently authored by Hansen in which the words spoken by the latter, warning the public of the current ecological threat, sit in sharp contrast to those on the page which seem to indicate how anything uttered by Hansen shouldn’t be seen as reliable. This couldn’t be more frustrating to the beleaguered Hansen; he’s here for the science, and this political muzzle simply will not do.
Unfortunately, scattered throughout the film, amongst the graphs showing lines rising as the progression of CO2 levels and average overall temperature increase, are copious documents in which key phrases stand out in bold; each time, every sentence is more distressing than the last, with particular shock as it’s noted how important it is for then-president Bush to overpromise during his campaign and underpromise while in office. By now, the Greenhouse Effect has led to a new phrase, global warming, and the partnership between Sununu and the various leaders of countless energy corporations paved the way for numerous climate researchers to go so far as to downplay the danger our society faces, even mentioning in a controversial “educational” video how CO2 might actually be good for the planet, with each individual backed by the same people who aligned with Sununu. This collusion is a third-act landmark moment, leading to a final collection of scenes showing several points of interest around Earth and how the past four decades of climate change have taken the mightiest of icebergs and reduced these once-impressive giants to mere bodies of water. A final shot of Reilly speaking on camera from 2019 reveals his regrets as he reflects on the past; it’s something all who endured such a period should feel as well.
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By using nothing but vast amounts of footage showing each president, each figurehead, and periodic clips of each era, backed by well-timed needle drops, “The White House Effect” never wavers from its fact-based approach; all evidence, whether from a chart or escaping someone’s mouth, is as straightforward as it gets, placing the film alongside similar heavy-hitters or the films of Adam McKay, as the music and editing could be seen as something akin to “The Big Short,” was the latter to strip its narrative approach. There’s no bias, no recent talking head interviews, just the truth, as if it were a research report with the right amount of spruce to help it stand out. It’s a shame such an issue needs music by Belinda Carlisle and Pete Townshend to help raise awareness, but if the sounds of “Heaven Is a Place on Earth” or “Eminence Front” motivate even one more person to do what they can in hopes of a less-bleak future for generations to come, it’s far from unnecessary. Plus, the added bonus of seeing Dana Carvey‘s still-uncanny Bush impression on “Saturday Night Live” thanks to several skillfully-placed snippets will never feel unwelcome, nor will an odd-feeling piece of video showing Ronald Reagan uttering his wish to “make America great again.” Strange timing.
As another presidential election sits around the corner, the horrors of climate change remain as vital as they’ve ever been, if not tremendously more so, and the team of directors Bonni Cohen, Pedro Kos, and Jon Shenk have crafted an essential piece of viewing for anyone curious as to what led us to such a moment. There’s no time like the present for a viewing of “The White House Effect,” and there is no wrong audience, no one immune to the presence of climate change. For those who already know, take it in. For those on the outskirts, you might wonder if it’s needed. It is. [A]
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