Tanner '88 is a sort of mockumentary that doesn't play as satire anymore. America!

While directed by Robert Altman, just like last week's dark political comedy, Tanner '88 was a miniseries for HBO and written by the creator of Doonesbury, and therefore quite a bit more mainstream. Not to say that it doesn't try to push the envelope, but it does so in fairly acceptable norms. Or maybe I'm projecting 21st century standards on 1988. We're through the looking glass in so many ways, so it's hard to get a read on what exactly Trudeau and Altman were trying to do beyond just making a documentary about politics without using a real candidate. It's clearly meant to be funny, and informative, and poignant, but it's also a bit blasé.

This week's Lost in Criterion episode is Robert Altman's HBO miniseries Tanner '88. Give it a listen on iTunes or LostInCriterion.com. And, if you could, like us on Facebook or support us on Patreon.