Review: 'Playing POTUS' Offers Entertaining but Narrow Look at Presidential Satire

Director Josh Greenbaum’s new documentary, *Playing POTUS*, explores the intersection of American politics and comedy through the lens of presidential impersonations. While the film is based on Peter Funt’s book about the broader history of "acting presidents," the documentary leans heavily into its own narrative bias. Rather than providing a comprehensive history of political satire, the film functions primarily as a tribute to *Saturday Night Live*, with roughly 75 percent of its runtime dedicated to the show’s alumni and their iconic portrayals of U.S. leaders.

The film shines when it allows legendary performers like Dana Carvey, Will Ferrell, Kate McKinnon, and Darrell Hammond to reflect on their craft. These segments offer genuine insight into the creative process, as well as the surreal experience of having one’s comedic caricature potentially influence public perception or even electoral outcomes. Hearing performers like Chevy Chase and Alec Baldwin discuss the weight and reception of their portrayals provides an engaging, behind-the-scenes look at the evolution of political comedy.

However, the documentary suffers from significant structural limitations. By largely ignoring the vast landscape of presidential satire that exists outside the *Saturday Night Live* ecosystem, the film misses an opportunity to provide a truly analytical or historical perspective. The lack of diverse interview subjects and the omission of non-SNL comedic history make the project feel incomplete. While *Playing POTUS* succeeds as an entertaining, lighthearted watch for fans of sketch comedy, it ultimately falls short of being the definitive study of how comedians have shaped the American presidency.