Dissent, Please – RBG (2018)

She’s a legend.  Simply put, this is a look at the life and works of sitting Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.  She has led quite an incredible life, and even though you may not know everything about her, you probably recognize the face or at the very least the name.  Get ready, because class is in session.  This is an inspirational and fast moving documentary.  Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a very interesting person, so much so that she would not be out of place if she were to pop up in a fictional story under a different name.  In this day and age, somebody has to stand up for women, and to put it in her own words, the only thing she is asking of our brethren is that “they take their feet off our necks.”

This movie is filled with memorable quotes like that.

This movie is all about lifting women up, which is something we need more of in both cinema and in life in general.  What better face for a revolution like that than this fearless trendsetter, and if there is one thing that she will constantly preach, it is equality.  But how do you break the mold when there are people that have been set in their ways for literally centuries?  This is one of the most determined people you could ever cross paths with in your life, and she is well spoken, concise and driven.  Words can be incredibly effective if fully realized, and she is one of those rare people that will actually think before she talks.  In addition to getting to know her works, you really get to know her as a person, which includes her relationship with her late husband.  Their personalities don’t necessarily match, but they had a fiery chemistry together even in their later years, and just from the archive footage you can tell that they loved each other dearly.

It’s a lot of hard work being the Notorious RBG.

As far as complaints go, I don’t have much other than it feels a bit Netflix-y, but that isn’t always a bad thing.  I don’t think this is going to reach people of the far right end of the spectrum, and I feel that everybody who would take the time to watch this is already going to be at least leaning to the left.  This is a great subject matter that is sure to be inspiring to a number of girls of all ages, and it is fascinating to see this meek woman reach the status of being a national celebrity.

RBG (2018) ****

– Critic for Hire