CNN Explains The State of the Union Using Wes Anderson Parody Video

Entertainment

| January 11, 2016 | By Margo Gothelf

President Barack Obama will give his final State of the Union Address on Tuesday evening and CNN has created a preview video of what to expect using the filmmaking style of award-winning director Wes Anderson, known for such hits as The Grand Budapest Hotel and The Royal Tenebaums.

CNN Politics’ Chris Moody and Alexander Rosen created the video as a tribute to the president and also to promote the SOTU. The preview, narrated by Moody, touched on some highs and lows from the political spectrum from the previous year. CNN shared on YouTube that the preview is “with all the tradition, pomp and quirks, the State of the Union Address is straight out of a Wes Anderson movie.”

Moody and Rosen specifically parody Anderson’s The Royal Tenebaums, reinventing the classic scene with Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal where Gwyneth Paltrow’s character, Margot Tenebaum, approaches her brother Richie, who had previously been away at sea. Other highlights include clips from Obama’s speech to Congress regarding ObamaCare where Senator Marco Rubio and other Republicans refused to applaud and the recreation of Rubio’s infamous drink of water during the 2013 Republican response.

Moody and Rosen borrowed several techniques from the Oscar-nominated director such as dividing the clip into “chapters” to explain how the SOTU will unfold.

In true Anderson fashion, the clip features an epilogue which states, “next year, much like Wes Anderson movies, the State of the Union address will look and feel very familiar — with a different lead character, but many of the same faces.”

Other cameo appearances include Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, Vice President Joe Biden, The Supreme Court Justices and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley.

Check out the quirky parody below!