Review: The Ambassador

Documentaries take us places. Some take us to places where creativity thrives, others take us to the halls of science, and some take us to unpleasant places, places we do not want to admit exist. The film The Ambassador, opening in Austin today, takes us to this latter place, a world where corruption and hypocrisy are woven into the fabric of everyday society.  

The Ambassador takes us to the Central African Republic, a country bordered by Chad, Sudan and the Congo. A former French colony, the Central African Republic is rich in natural resources (diamonds, gold, oil), contrasted with one of the poorest populations in all of Africa. The Central African Republic is a place where the powerful make fortunes on the backs of the poor and unfortunate.

The documentary shines a light on the easily corrupted power structure of this impoverished nation. The creation of Danish journalist Mads Brügger, the movie seeks to expose the corruption found in the heart of nations like the Central African Republic. 

The journey begins with Brügger attempting to secure diplomatic credentials from a shady dealer, one of many who specialize in securing such items. The purpose of acquiring these credentials is to allow Brügger to traffic in illicit goods (blood diamonds) under cover of diplomatic immunity. After finding a dealer who can secure a consulship from the country of Liberia, Brügger sets out for the Central African Republic, where he will attempt to ingratiate himself with the countries power structure.

In order to provide himself with a realistic cover story, Brügger poses as a businessman who wants to open a business creating matches. Combining the red meat of business with the red wine of politics is a pairing Gordon Ramsey would envy. The business story provides cover for the envelopes of cash that change hands frequently while the political influence adds a sense of legitimacy to the entire operation. Brügger mines these two elements for everything they are worth and takes us on the ride with him.

It takes guts, creativity and a bit of insanity to make a film like The Ambassador. The creativity begins with the character created from Brügger's imagination, a pseudo-businessman/politician straight out of the cast of Casablanca. White suits, patent leather shoes and cigarettes smoked from an extension are props to create an image of a person who could only exist in this backwater nation.

The guts part comes from the actual execution of this documentary. Shot using hidden cameras and cell-phone recordings, The Ambassador immerses you in the activities at hand. From start to finish, you feel like a participant in the conversations, an accomplice in the bribes, and one of the people that will take the fall should the lies and deceptions unravel. The Ambassador makes you feel like you are operating in your own personal political thriller. 

The vermin that inhabit our world do not like having a light shined on their less-than-honorable activities. The Ambassador is a high intensity klieg light that causes these rats and roaches to scurry for the nearest corner.

Austin connection: The Ambassador is distributed by Drafthouse Films.