The name Roger Stone might not be one that the average American is deeply familiar with, but it has come up time and again, especially in the wake of the 2016 election of Donald Trump. As people scrambled to understand how Trump rose to power and who helped engineer his unlikely political success, three filmmakers, Dylan Bank, Daniel DiMauro and Morgan Pehme, turned their attention to a man who had been behind the curtain for decades: Roger Stone.
Their documentary, “Get Me Roger Stone,” dives into the life and career of one of America’s most controversial political operatives. Stone is a longtime Republican strategist, lobbyist and self-described “agent provocateur,” known for using dirty tricks, media manipulation and backroom deals to shape the political landscape.
His reputation as a “sleaze ball,” a term used by several people in the film to talk about Stone, is something he not only acknowledges, but wears as a badge of honor. “It’s better to be infamous than never to be famous at all,” Stone says in the documentary, brushing off criticism by calling his detractors “bitter losers.”
That quote pretty much sums up who Roger Stone is: A man who thrives on chaos, controversy and the limelight. The film traces his career from his early days working with Richard Nixon (whose face Stone has tattooed on his back), through his decades of influence in Republican politics, to his role in pushing Donald Trump to run for president, something he had been advocating for since the 1980s, back when Trump was more of a tabloid celebrity than a political figure.
The documentary doesn’t just highlight Stone’s personality, it also sheds light on the darker side of American politics. It shows how operatives like Stone use every tool at their disposal, from misleading ads to disinformation campaigns, to tip the scales in favor of their chosen candidates. “Get Me Roger Stone” doesn’t claim that Stone is the only person doing this, but it does make the case that he helped popularize the brand of shameless, win-at-all-costs politics that has become more and more common in recent years.
What makes the documentary especially compelling is that Stone doesn’t deny any of it. In fact, he seems to revel in the role of villain. He’s smart, theatrical, unapologetic and above all, strategic. And the film makes it clear: people like Roger Stone have always been around, quietly manipulating power and shaping history from the shadows but rarely have they been this proud to admit it.
“Get Me Roger Stone” is both a biography and a warning. It pulls back the curtain on how modern political machines are run, and how people without shame or scruples can rise to positions of enormous influence. It’s a must-watch for anyone trying to understand not just Roger Stone, but the darker mechanics of American politics.
Rating: 8/10