The initials AOC have certainly trended on numerous occasions on Twitter over the last 5 years or so. And even those of us not fully in the loop of the American political landscape (or indeed our very own), the name Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez rings a few bells. Audiences of the 2019 documentary, Knock Down the House, ought to find something to chew on here, regardless of your own personal views on the left wing challenges of 2018.
The sheer widespread coverage of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, having nabbed that illusive victory over Joe Crowley that June in New York, is what helps make her the prime target of the film. Streaming on Netflix, Knock Down the House is written, directed and photographed by Rachel Lears. And commands an authentic, accessible journey of not one, but four, incredible women looking to stand beyond the shoulders of so-called giants.
Knock Down the House fleetingly moves back and forth between the four women from working class backgrounds. All of which take into their own hands, a Congressional US election contest up against seemingly unbeatable, incumbent figures. These are not necessarily tales of underdog women stepping over the long-serving men, but rather a courageous attempt to kick down a wall or two in the hopes of spotlighting a fresher, alternative outlook.
From Nevada, Amy Vilela carries the grief of losing a 22 year-old daughter as an unfathomable strength and support structure in her own campaign. The hospital’s refusal to treat her due to the lack of understanding of the complex insurance system in America. A fatal cost, one which aligns with many other cases in the fight for healthcare.
There’s Cori Bush, of Missouri, who also drives forward with a fire in her belly. Her resentment and rage at the killing of teenage African-American, Michael Brown, in Ferguson, by the police, offers a smashed open can of racial and violence worms.
And then, Paula Jean Swearengin, representing West Virginia. Early on in the film she drives us around Coal City, where a significant number of people had died of cancer. We can assume that there was/is an untreated pollution problem here.
Whatever the woes and the motives, Knock Down the House takes its point of view alongside all four of these women. There’s little to invest in regarding their political competition, and at under 90 minutes in total running time, you could argue there was a missed opportunity to get even further under the skin of these women and their plights of passion. In particular, Swearengin, Bush and Vilela, who are clearly secondary to the prominence of AOC.
And while that may be a flaw in the filmmaking to some, its understandable why AOC gets the lioness’ share of the narrative here. Her aforementioned leap into the public eye gives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez a kind of urgency to the viewership. Truth be told, though, this reviewer would happily have sat through a further 30 minutes of the documentary had it meant digesting more meat on the bones of the other three candidates.
We all know AOC won. Or at least you should. Her fervour and exuberance shone through. There is no denying – whichever side you are on – that there’s conviction and charisma in that [then] 29 year-old woman (making her the youngest female House member in history). And her story, lest we forget, comes from grassroots. Director Rachel Lears reminds us early on where AOC comes from. That the confident, fearless public speaker we have quickly grown accustomed to was a Bronx bartender not too long ago.
Knock Down the House is capable of making this rags to riches story compelling without strangling you with the poverty line. The tone of the documentary is thankfully not indulgent or stylized, or even scraping for sharp satire the way Michael Moore would do.
Another niggle would be the lack of depth given to Joe Crowley, to whom Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez had to take on. Crowley had not be confronted with a challenging candidate in the last ten years. And the film briefly highlights that complacency, both in the man himself and his voters that may or may not be happy to stick with him. Maybe that is the way it went down, but the astounding noise that came from AOC’s victory suggests a far greater feat.
We have to be the givers of applause though, for anyone willing to fight for ever-evolving problems of the world, and the constituencies that have failed to impact in a great way. Celebrating these four women and the journeys they undertake, demonstrates a potential new wave of big voices to at least rock the boat of the old white male guard.
Knock Down the House is an invigorating experience. One which casts a hopeful shadow over today’s societal demons. You don’t have to be a working American Democrat to genuinely feel the pulse. It’s a comprehensive, thought-provoking account, keeping its feet on the ground and closing with a sample of success. In fact, it moderately goes for the heartstrings in the final act – which we need, I think.
There’s a kind of pride and reality check of their own accomplishments for all four of the women showcased. Their struggles are mirrored in some way in their glorious achievements. Even knowing the outcome, I got shivers when a conversation with the shell-shocked Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is interrupted by the bar’s euphoric cheers as her victory rings out on the small TVs.
