A documentary from Martin Scorsese and David Tedeschi looking into the half century run of The New York Review of Books, a contentious radical publication with a misleading name whose actual stated agenda is to print op-ed pieces tackling hot button issues to affect public opinion. With focus on its founding and long serving editor Robert Silvers, the film covers various articles over the years with appearances from many of their contributors, with topics ranging from the questioning of U.S. involvement in the war in Vietnam, to the Arab Spring, to a volatile feud between Gore Vidal and Norman Mailer ignited by a Vidal piece first issued in the journal. Meandering, as is to be expected with such a cinematically tenuous subject, The 50 Year Argument is interesting in sections, sections you wish would have been elaborated upon.
*** out of ****
