Documentary 'Playing POTUS' Explores SNL's Presidential Impressions With Mixed Results
Josh Greenbaum's documentary 'Playing POTUS' premiered at the Tribeca Festival, examining how Saturday Night Live performers have impersonated U.S. presidents over the show's 50-year history. The film features interviews with Dana Carvey, Will Ferrell, Kate McKinnon, and Darrell Hammond discussing their iconic impressions and their cultural impact. While entertaining with clever talent, critics note the documentary is heavily SNL-focused and lacks depth on presidential impersonations outside the show.
Josh Greenbaum's 'Playing POTUS' debuted at the Tribeca Festival as a documentary examining comic impressions of U.S. presidents, with approximately 75 percent of its 93-minute runtime dedicated to Saturday Night Live content. The film features interviews with prominent SNL cast members including Dana Carvey, Will Ferrell, Kate McKinnon, and Darrell Hammond, who discuss the origins of their presidential impressions and their potential cultural impact on public perception of actual presidents. The documentary explores how SNL impressions have sometimes achieved a level of 'hyper-reality' where the comedic portrayal supplants the actual historical figure in collective consciousness. However, critics note significant gaps in the film's scope, including minimal coverage of presidential impersonations predating SNL (beyond brief mentions of Vaughn Meader and the Smothers Brothers) and the absence of key interview subjects like Tina Fey. The film also notably omits discussion of Donald Trump's SNL hosting appearance as a candidate, which reviewers identify as a conspicuous oversight given the documentary's stated focus.
What's missing
The review does not specify whether the documentary addresses the broader historical context of presidential impersonations in American comedy beyond SNL, such as impressions in stand-up comedy, film, television variety shows, or other media formats. Additionally, the review does not clarify whether the film discusses the mechanics of how SNL impressions influence actual electoral outcomes versus merely reflecting existing public sentiment.
What different sources said
- The Hollywood ReporterCenter
‘Playing POTUS’ Review: Documentary From ‘Barb and Star’ Director Makes a Fun but Limited Impression
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