THE STORY – Filmmaker Ava DuVernay speaks with scholars, politicians, and legal experts about the 14th Amendment, exploring who gets to belong in America and the ongoing fight over birthright citizenship.
THE CAST – Stacey Abrams, David Bright, Robert S. Chang, Donald T. Critchlow, Adam Domby, Ava DuVernay, Jeff Flake, Eric Foner, Carla Hayden, Devon Henry, Hasan Piker & Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
THE TEAM – Ava DuVernay (Director)
THE RUNNING TIME – 100 Minutes
The 14th Amendment is largely known for its clause affirming birthright citizenship, a right that has recently come under attack following President Donald Trump’s repeated attempts to dismantle it. However, the amendment is something of a catch-all for equal rights whose impacts today are felt not only by the Black community, but by every marginalized group. This point is emphasized in director Ava DuVernay’s poignant documentary “14th” through an incredibly diverse assortment of talking head interviews, which make evident the widely reaching significance of this dense, necessary change to the Constitution. Part necessary history lesson, part horrifying deconstruction of the past decade’s regression in equal rights, and part fiery call to action, DuVernay’s “14th” is a stunning ode to how crucial the 14th Amendment is to democracy and how it has systematically been undermined in the past decade.
The first half of “14th” can often feel like a video essay. Professors, politicians, and political commentators narrate the context of the 14th Amendment and methodically break down each clause’s importance. The film is dispensing a lot of information in the simplest terms possible, and it is certainly a feat that it manages to cover 150 years of American history in less than two hours. But while this is hardly a knock against it, it does evoke the kinds of films that would be shown in history class due to its simultaneous breadth and specificity. In fact, “14th” is the kind of film that demands to be shown in class to fill in the gaps left by the education system, and that is precisely why it likely never will be.
The film morphs into something profoundly horrifying in its second half. After it has illustrated the evolution of Confederate propaganda and iconography over time, “14th” pulls the curtain back to reveal a mirror pointed at American society. From this point on, the film kicks into high gear, urgently dissecting the damage Trump’s presidency has done to the amendment that serves as a cornerstone of equality in the United States. The last half hour, in particular, hits like a sledgehammer, and it would not be possible without the thorough foundation the film laid. Most of the events presented do not come as a surprise to anyone who watches the news, but the film is able to twist the knife because the audience understands with utter clarity how these tragedies are connected to the Civil War. It is a remarkably well-plotted documentary that is sure to leave viewers shaken to their core.
The narrative structure of “14th” is nothing short of breathtaking. The film respects its audience so much that it leaves subtle hints as to its true intent throughout its historical preamble and allows viewers to piece together the argument themselves. Yet the way DuVernay’s core accusations are framed are simply revelatory, as nothing you might have concocted in your head can compare to the density or weight her assertions take on. Much credit to the film’s editor, DuVernay’s frequent collaborator Spencer Averick, who splices together jaw-dropping footage that accompany profound interviews with such seamlessness that it is nearly impossible to not get swept up in the scope of it all.
Not every stylistic flair in “14th” works. While there are inspired choices, such as incorporating politically charged stand-up routines into the film, there are also a couple of head scratchers. The choice to jarringly animate evocative archival photos (Presumably using AI) takes the audience out of the film, and a hand motif is called back to one too many times. Some tweaks to its imagery could have taken the film to another level, but the existing footage it incorporates packs a punch nonetheless.
Ten years after “13th,” DuVernay has crafted another staggering documentary that links American history to the present in a truly eye-opening fashion. It takes great lengths to set the stage for its core argument and it is all the more powerful as a result. Nothing is sugarcoated in “14th,” making it a timely wake-up call for a placated society oblivious to the calculated insidiousness of the MAGA movement. History is destined to repeat itself, and because DuVernay’s film attests that it already has, that is all the more reason to stay informed on its nuances and to inform others. Often, the most meaningful lessons are not taught in classrooms.
