The star of the show is Paul Bagala, who in no uncertain terms points out the foibles of his own side's defeat.

| Original Score: A- | Jun 21, 2007

A fair warning that the world is watching to see whether Karl Rove and company put their thumbs on the scales again.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Feb 17, 2007

This informative documentary offers a sound, if uninspiring lesson in civics.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Dec 22, 2006

Documentarians Adam Del Deo and James Stern present a cogent and comprehensive postmortem of the 2004 presidential election in Ohio.

| Dec 22, 2006

The film's triple thesis is that elections are run badly, Democrats are often clueless and Republicans are clever. Maybe -- but that still leaves too many unanswered questions.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Dec 21, 2006

Um olhar imparcial sobre as estratgias de democratas e republicanos durante a eleio presidencial de 2004, o filme buca analisar os erros e acertos que conduziram reeleio de Bush, oferecendo respostas inteligentes e, muitas vezes, surpreendentes.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Dec 2, 2006

An unpretty picture of the 2004 Presidential election campaign animated by big money, power politics, negative campaign ads, and hatred.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Nov 5, 2006

Directors James D. Stern and Adam Del Deo make Ohio a confounding crucible of the American political machine and a microcosm of the country's cultural and socioeconomic fractures.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Nov 3, 2006

Supported by commentary from both Republican and Democratic operatives, the movie confirms what most of us have known all along: Electability is all about staying on message. The truth and verifiability of that message is something else again.

| Original Score: B+ | Oct 19, 2006

Filmmakers James D. Stern and Adam Del Deo captured fascinating glimpses of the action leading up to the election, as well as the Monday morning quarterbacking (from Republicans and Democrats) about what went wrong or right.

| Oct 19, 2006

From its riveting opening to its gripping conclusion, . . . So Goes the Nation is arguably the most intelligent, kinetic analysis of the modern election process since The War Room.

Full Review | Oct 19, 2006

Particularly valuable for its insightful and ultimately depressing portrait of political machinations.

Full Review | Oct 17, 2006

It shows that the rules of politics remain pretty simple: stay on message and don't say stupid stuff. Advice that's as straightforward as good steak -- and just as easy to screw up.

| Oct 12, 2006

Directors Adam Del Deo and James Stern focus on fieldworkers for both Bush and John Kerry -- plus voters of various loyalties -- in the days leading to the election.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Oct 6, 2006

One still feels twinges of rue at the fair and foul means through which voters were persuaded to re-elect a president widely considered unpopular and, thus, vulnerable to defeat.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4 | Oct 5, 2006

A strikingly mature, but no less passionate, counterpoint to many of the season's angrier political documentaries.

| Oct 5, 2006

A what went wrong? documentary that succinctly and ruthlessly dissects the battle for Ohio in the months leading up to the 2004 presidential election.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Oct 4, 2006

Neither newly revelatory nor formally innovative, docu's even-handed style cannily enables IFC's simultaneous... release in theaters and on cable.

| Oct 4, 2006

... So Goes the Nation sticks to reporting. Unlike most political documentaries, it doesn't preach -- to the choir or to anyone else.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Oct 4, 2006

A detailed and somewhat straggling account of the 2004 presidential election's flashpoint climax in Ohio.

| Oct 3, 2006