- Network: HBO
- Series Premiere Date: May 28, 2018
Critic Reviews
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An insightful, poignant, journalistically sound profile that gives McCain his due, but steers clear of hagiography.
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Offers a definitive portrait of an extraordinary life, boasting extensive access to its subject as well practically as every political luminary to pass through his orbit, including three former presidents.
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The film has been referred to as a pre-obituary and its title called ghoulish. But McCain's frank discussions about his limited time left on Earth and the end of a mission of "serving something more important than myself" are profound and moving.
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First and foremost, this documentary is as a moving farewell to a flawed, but still admirable, man. But it also comes across as another type of good-bye, one to the basic civility Americans once were able to take for granted in the political realm. John McCain: For Whom the Bell Toll is another reminder that this, too, is dying.
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A reverent portrait, if not necessarily a penetrating one.
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For Whom the Bell Tolls covers the things you’d expect, including his years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam. But it acknowledges his flaws, including a powerful temper. And it doesn’t skip past some painful bumps in his biography.
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In this deferential retelling, McCain is a lifelong public servant who only erred when he wasn't true to himself, with no ideological bent in his mission to make America exceptional again. It's certainly an inspirational portrait; it's also a blatant exercise in legacy management.
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Some might find For Whom the Bell Tolls to be too easy on, if not downright deferential, to McCain. But this last testament in many ways also underscores the respect and admiration he has won from those he’s battled fiercely.
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A slightly less-than-worshipful tribute to Sen. McCain, who is dying of brain cancer yet agreed to cooperate with what is essentially a warts-and-all portrait.
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An honest if highly spit-shined effort.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 9 out of 18
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Mixed: 2 out of 18
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Negative: 7 out of 18
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May 29, 2018
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May 29, 2018