The American Question Review: Timely & Hopeful

The American Question is a very timely documentary which approaches a stressful topic with hope and honesty, documenting various experiences of American life.

Journalists for The Atlantic, Yale scholars, residents of the “iconic swing state” of Pennsylvania, as one man called it, and several others wade through the mire of American politics. This documentary about the fractured state of the nation could not be more timely. It features eight years of footage, covering events from the 2016 Presidential Election, to monumental recent changes in 2024, including the assassination attempt against Donald Trump and President Joe Biden’s decision to end his re-election candidacy.

The most impactful feature of The American Question is its commitment to respect. While interviewing people across the spectrum of political belief—from full-on Donald Trump supporters, to people who choose not to vote, to straight-ticket Democrats—Seemann and director James Kicklighter are faithful to the idea of the documentarian as an objective observer. The final product is a bold claim that Americans of all beliefs and backgrounds have more in common than they think, and that it is through connection, community, and trust that the nation might again live in harmony.

The documentary is structured in such a way as to present commonalities among Republicans and Democrats, religious and non-religious people, and people of varying demographics in their assessments of hot-button issues like immigration, economics, and education. While those interviewed obviously disagree with one another on many things, their common refrain is that America could be so much better; the political world is in disarray, and it’s up to the people to bring order again. As trust is the driving focus of Kicklighter’s work in The American Question, strong emphasis is placed on the promotion of the common good in America. There are very divisive issues at play in every election, but the documentary stresses that substantial progress can be made if people consider the wellbeing of others.

The American Question’s animated visuals match the film’s subject: they’re not bold or innovative, as they typically serve the purpose of sharing economic data, but they offer a break from interview footage. Transitions between interview footage, B-roll footage, and animated graphics are often choppy and abrupt, hindering feelings of closure between one topic before moving to another. The score is dramatic at times but fits the theme. Otherwise, the filmmaking denotes a sophisticated approach to the documentary’s complicated topic. It follows typical stylistic standards for historical and political documentaries, but one aspect that stands out is that Seemann interviews his participants several years after their first encounter to ask them how their views have changed.

Within the 90-minute documentary, viewers get a history lesson of a brief, yet monumental decade, covering two Presidential Election cycles, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the increased use of social media in place of civic engagement centers like religious congregations and unions. Students and community members share how life has changed for them, which highlights another key theme: that people are complex and their views often change over time. 

Despite a stressful and heavy topic, the film ends on a hopeful note. Trust and collaboration among political dissenters has eroded, Seemann claims, but Americans are always one step away from change for the common good. It ends with a list of practical steps for political engagement bent on listening, understanding, empathy, and tolerance that every American can contribute to. This is one of those unique contributions to politics that left me optimistic, rather than stressed and anxious, about America’s future. It’s a testament to the enduring power of human connection and a call to harness it for the good of the nation.

The American Question is now available to watch on digital and on demand.