A Disenchanted Democratic Senator of the United States in the Film 'Bulworth'

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Film Analysis: Bulworth
Bulworth is a 1998 film that depicts a disenchanted Democratic Senator of the United States, named Jay Bulworth, who has turned his campaign trail upside down in his bid to seek re-election for the California senatorial seat. Jay Bulworth has lost popularity and charisma after the fading of his liberal opinions that he held during the latter half of the twentieth century. To survive in politics and retain his seat, Bulworth surrenders to the wave of the conservative politics to salvage his political career. Therefore, he welcomes corporate funding, engages in false political promises to win votes, and struggles to display positive and admirable family life to the public, despite having a broken family, all in the name of politics. The classic film highlights multiple topics that critically exposes the political life of politicians in their bid to stay afloat, and cleverly satirizes the real opinions and views of politicians, albeit in the imminent danger of death, in a society with clear social-economic divisions.
The film portrays highly controversial ideas of a senatorial incumbent who struggles to stay afloat in his political career and get re-elected. Although Bulworth is ambitious and has decades of political experience, his popular socialist views have are dying away and settles for conservative ideologies to save his political career. After conducting self-analysis, Bulworth decides to kill himself by hiring a secret assassin, with the aim of leaving $10 million insurance settlement for his daughter. With the imminent danger of his life, Bulworth creates a spectacle by expressing his real views and opinions regarding politics, American society, and multiple other topics. The film highlights various societal themes including racism, (un)employment, education, healthcare insurance coverage, drug and substance abuse and sale, and the role of the media in elevating populist politicians despite their retrogressive real values and views. The politically-charged film utilizes humor, rap music, and satire to illuminate on the American political scene and the influence of special-interest groups in sourcing and exploiting the American public, including public servants, by their immense donations, campaign funds, and overall influence in the political scene. The issues addressed in the film resonate with the reality in American political life, racial divisions, and society’s socioeconomic issues.
Bulworth is a realistic political film that reflects liberal ideas of politicians and the electorate alike in challenging the political discourse that has dominated the American political scene. As observed earlier, Jay Bulworth, the main political figure, has vast political experience and hopes to recapture the California senatorial seat. However, his liberal views find no place in the present political environment. He, therefore, bows to the political pressure and...