You’ve Been Trumped Too
Originally completed in 2016, documentary filmmaker Anthony Baxter’s You’ve Been Trumped Too (his follow-up to 2011’s You’ve Been Trumped) has since been under legal fire from the Trump Organisation, who threatened to sue any venue screening the film. But now the feature is getting a worldwide release, audiences can now see the damning evidence the (impeached) president of the United States wanted to be expunged.
Like Baxter’s earlier film, the sequel returns to the Forbes family in Aberdeen, who have suffered at the hands of Trump during the construction of his luxury golf course, which has now left 96-year-old Molly without any running water. Although it highlights a tragic story of the real impact Trump’s narcissistic greed has caused, the documentary unfortunately falls short of being the eye-opening exposé it aims to be, thanks to a notable lack of focus and a repetitive structure.
Beginning with a behind-the-scenes look at Trump preparing for an interview with the filmmaker and bragging about microphone clips he wants him to see, Baxter wastes no time in reminding us of the 45th president’s infamous persona. We travel from Trump Tower to the Forbes’ rural home, where we see how the family has been reduced to collecting water for themselves years after Trump’s workers broke the pipe connecting their home to the nearby spring. Hearing the family and other residents recount the injustices they’ve suffered at the hands of Trump and his family is equal parts heartbreaking and disturbing.
But it’s not enough to justify a feature-length sequel. There is a distinct lack of any narrative thread to drive the film. With a heavy reliance on footage from the previous film, which is replayed a comical number of times, the sequel becomes more of a recap of the previous documentary than its own creation. And what is new has only the faintest connection to the Forbes’ story. Brief segments addressing the water crisis in Flint work to draw parallels between the Forbes and those in similar situations while contrasting their quiet lives with the lavish and entitled lives of those who seek to destroy it for their own gain.
Often melodramatic in style, You’ve Been Trumped Too contains a poignant message about standing up for what’s right. However, it sadly lacks the cohesion to make any significant impact.
Andrew Murray
You’ve Been Trumped Too is released digitally on demand on 18th August 2020 and is available on iTunes, Google Play, Journeyman VOD and Vimeo.
Watch the trailer for You’ve Been Trumped Too here:
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