BlazeLime Strong and Moving!

Borgarkeri A bit overrated, but still an amazing film

CrawlerChunky In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Fairaher The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

john-16151-90172 So sad and truly heartbreaking to see how even the best of us can be ripped apart and stomped on by our own. We are an inferior species. I will never understand how people can feel good about themselves by dragging others to their graves. We live in a very self centered country and it appears that we will never learn. Every day I see people who seem to gain pleasure and comfort from trying to break people down. Why do we treat others in a way that none of us would ever wish to be treated? The reviewers appear to have learned nothing. How do you walk away from this with nothing but criticism for how a documentary should be made?

dazza-01623 It's obvious that the writers of the "documentary" actually know very little about the CTA case. It's an immensely bias piece. Dwyer was as guilty as they come. He used his "task-force" as a smokescreen to hide his true intentions. He handled all matters of the CTA contract for a period of time (and even sometimes told his aids they were not invited to meetings with him and Torquato/Smith). Smith was his old buddy, and Dwyer knew what Torquato was up to. Even before Smith's first trial he stated that Dwyer was in on the bribe. Dwyer was offered a deal by another company who would do the job better, and at half the price, than CTA. Yet he didn't even entertain the idea of awarding them the contract. There was no conspiracy. Dwyer was caught red-handed and blamed everyone except himself. Dwyer's family talk about how Dwyer would not "plea bargain with the truth" yet Dwyer urged his own lawyer to speak to the prosecutor (James West) asking him if he would drop all charges against Dwyer if Dwyer resigned as the treasurer! West did not accept it, and rightly so. So what do we have with this "documentary"? Nothing really except an uninformed love note to Dwyer. It's almost as if the writers are trying to justify a morbid interest in Dwyer's suicide by going on an uninformed, bias crusade saying he was an "innocent man". But the problem is that he wasn't innocent, and hence he will never receive any official exoneration. Two appeals after his death were dismissed. Dwyer, clearly guilty, does not deserve credit and attention for committing suicide in public (and traumatizing many many people in the process). This "documentary" may fool a few people, but for those who know the facts of the case, it is mere propaganda.

ShoeBuckle I just finished the film and was taken by how one sided it turned out to be. At least half of the film covers his past. It plays out more like a tribute to the main character - Budd Dwyer.The film is composed entirely of interviews and news casts. Headlines and partially highlighted newspaper articles are repeatedly shown. The selection of people interviewed and the amount of air time they are given all create bias towards Dwyer.One example is the the appointment of a federal prosecutor. The film has someone interviewed stating that the "Democratic governor" had a role in his appointment. That is far from being true as it was a federal crime. The president at the time was Ronald Reagan who was also head of the Republican party. The Attorney General of the US is appointed by the president and he in turn assigns federal prosecutors. The "documentary" tries to make it seem that the Democratic governor who felt wronged by Dwyer was out for vengeance.Another example of biasness is when the film shows the man who gave Dwyer the bribe money. William Smith, the district Republican chief, states in one scene of the film he was surprised that Dwyer accepted the money when he offered it to him. This would seem to indicate he knew it was bribe money. The film then tries to show he lied at Dwyer's trial because he was offered a plea bargain. One scene lasts three seconds and the other 4 minutes. Be very careful while watching as you may miss items as they are being glossed over by the filmmakers. Afterwards think about all you have seen and make your own decision regarding the case.The interviews with Dwyer's son unwittingly show how he failed as a father. His son is not a very nice or compassionate man. The film spends far too much time interviewing Bud Dwyer's friends and family. It does not spend enough time combing through the case which led to his conviction.The "documentary" did not do a very good job when explaining the charges against Dwyer. Instead it quickly introduced the evidence and witnesses then spent more time trying to demean them. It's as if the filmmakers felt only the headlines and a few quips were sufficient. I took issue with this and realized how poorly done the film had become.I enjoy watching documentaries and exploring issues in an unbiased manner. This film really was a let down. I would say it is more of a propaganda piece than anything else. If you always felt Bud Dwyer was innocent or were one of his supporters then this film may be enjoyable. No one can feel good about what Dwyer did in taking his own life but do not let that act cloud your own judgment when viewing the film. I can not recommend others view it.

Ricardo Villarreal I had the great opportunity to come across "Honest Man: the Life of R. Budd Dwyer", a very well done biographical documentary and a tribute to a man who dedicated his life to serve his state, but who fell victim of political revenge and a disastrous justice system.Although it's very hard to think about Budd Dwyer without thinking of his suicide, this documentary does an incredible job of not exploiting "the scene", guiding the audience to focus on what's really important to understand, which is Budd's life and his story.The composition of the film was brilliant, narrating the story through a combination of powerful interviews with family members, notable archive materials, historic documents, and a very fine touch of artistic elements.This is a great film that is both emotional and informative, and one not to miss.