Trailer Talk: Netflix's 'Mitt' Straddles Ideological Battle Lines

Netflix’s first political documentary appears to avoid partisan battle lines with its official trailer.

That alone could set it apart from HBO and Showtime, two pay cable giants whose content leans reliably to the left.

Mitt, a new documentary following failed presidential candidate Mitt Romney, appears to eschew ideological name calling to tell a human story of one man’s quest for the White House.

The film’s trailer captures a side of Romney not showcased by a press machine eager to harp on his every flaw during the 2012 election season. Need proof? Consider the media attention paid to a simple, harmless comment like “binders full of women” compared to the lack of vetting of ObamaCare.

Here, we see a funnier Romney, one fully aware of the risks of running for office and eager for the support of his family.

HBO regularly features liberal comic Bill Maher, GOP-bashing movies like Game Change and documentaries which smite the right (Reagan). Showtime recently aired the far-left Oliver Stone miniseries The Untold History of the United States and will unveil a climate change scare series in 2014.

Netflix would be wise to avoid alienating its growing audience with content that also skews to the left. The streaming giant already is making inroads in popular culture with its service, and its House of Cards series doesn’t serve up unnecessary sucker punches. 

Mitt may serve another purpose, one Netflix may not be anticipating.

We’ve already seen the American public reconsider President George W. Bush after noticing his decency after leaving the Oval Office. Now, watching a very human Romney may similarly change the way America feels about him and show a start contrast between him and the current White House occupant.