Texas, USA: An Uplifting Documentary About The Fight For Change
A new documentary film about what it takes to build a new, hopeful vision for democracy against enormous odds. An underdog story, told through the lives of candidates and organizers who tell an unexpected story of persistence, community, and progress in an unlikely place.
Andrew Morgan is special indie filmmaker who works wonders on a modest budget and focuses on telling stories for a better tomorrow. Whether it be narrative features (like Long Gone By or Samantha Rose) or documentaries, you can count on Morgan to bring a humanitarian edge and compassionate charge to every project he takes on, often melding the touching and inspirational with the topical or political. He’s got his heart in the right place, his head in the right direction, and he does not make bad films. His latest effort, Texas, USA, is no exception; the documentary is an important film that once again finds Morgan bending topical themes in the direction of the uplifting and inspirational.
The film follows a group of characters — organizers, activists, and candidates — from all over the state of Texas (including Greg Casar, Beto O’Rourke, and Lina Hidalgo, to name a few) throughout the 2022 midterm year as they challenge the traditional views of Texas and its politics. Less interested in a particular political horse race or its potential outcome, it casts a wide gaze that focuses on the persistence, resilience, and optimism of its myriad subjects as they face seemingly insurmountable obstacles, oppressive policies, and work for their communities to fight for real and lasting change. At its core, it’s an underdog story (which who doesn’t like those?!), and while its focus is squarely on Texas, its ripple effect has a much broader reach.
Texas has been a Republican stronghold for a long time, and it’s also been consistently viewed as one of those US states that exemplifies what it means to be ‘merican: gun-toting, oil-drilling, gas-guzzling, truck-driving, beer-drinking, meat-eating, flag-waving, god-fearing, rodeo-loving cowpokes with a fierce independence, an affinity for country music, and a lot of state pride. Most of that is a stereotype, with a certain basis in truth, and while you’re apt to find a lot of that in “the great State of Texas,” there’s more to the Lone Star State than the stereotype lets on. The fact is: Texas is a diverse state full of mostly friendly people of varying backgrounds with big personalities, strong views, and the desire to voice and/or fight for them. And they don’t only bleed red; they bleed blue too.
Morgan shatters the long-standing stereotype here by selecting a diverse array of subjects which provide a rounded view of the Texas left. The biggest names are the film’s main characters (Greg Casar, Beto O’Rourke, and Lina Hidalgo), but the peripheral figures have a pivotal role not just in painting a fuller picture, but by supporting a narraive that gives greater depth to the issues animating political life in Texas in 2022. These include: Brianna Brown, executive director of the Texas Organizing Project, who is leading one of the largest mobilization of Black voters in the state’s history; Tory Gavito, executive director of Way To Win, who is raising tens of millions of dollars from around the country to support candidates and organizations in Texas and the Southwest; Adri Perez, a trans advocate and strategist, who is mobilizing trans families to fight back against cruel new regulations enacted by the state; Anthony Graves, who spent 18 years in prison for a murder he did not commit and is confronting Texas’ policy of over-incarceration; and Hannah Horick, an abortion advocate, who is organizing Democrats in her small, conservative city in response to Texas’ abortion ban and the rollback of Roe v. Wade.
Being a documentary, you’ve got to catch what you can, and cinematographer Helen Cassell captures some lovely moments and gorgeous images, some of which recall the likes of The Sugarland Express or Red Rocket. There are many great moments, but the one that stands out the most involves Beto in the wake of Uvalde. As he runs for Governor on a campaign built upon strong gun reform, you really see his extraordinary ability to speak to Texans who stand on the opposing political side and find common ground, even in the most contentious of forums. Morgan and editor Tyler Pharo do an excellent job sculpting the narrative, giving it structure and finding a nice rhythm to its pacing. Composer (and frequent Morgan collaborator) Duncan Blickenstaff also lays down a properly Texafied score, complete with slide guitar, that aides its uplifting attitude without ever stepping on the toes of its speakers.
They say it’s always darkest before the dawn, and as bleak and backwards as Texas (and the whole of America) has gotten, Texas, USA shows that there’s more than just a glimmer of hope out there on the horizon. Instead of trying to push the genre into new boundaries, it aspires to lift up the spirits of its viewers and push them into action. It’s fairly conventional, but its thoughtful selection of subjects, cleverly crafted focus, and important message are what really help to set it apart and give it spark. A series of triumphs and defeat, Morgan’s film doesn’t just tell you that there’s light at the end of the tunnel, it proudly proclaims that change is on its way. It’s likely to make you feel something. Heck, it may even compel you to get involved, and we consider that a very good thing.
Recommendation: Whether you’re a Texan or not, if you live in the US-Of-A, you should definitely give this informative and inspiring documentary a watch! It’s currently available on all digital platforms.
Rallying for more?! Check out the links below:
Andrew Morgan film reviews
Andrew Morgan interview for Samantha Rose (print)
Andrew Morgan interview for Samantha Rose (full audio)
What do you think? We want to know. Share your thoughts and feelings in the comments section below, and as always, remember to viddy well!