Plot Summary

Demme and his camera crew followed Carter over a three-month period beginning in late 2006. The footage they gleaned from these mammoth sessions includes lectures and plenty of debates, many of which offer a dual perspective on both Carter's life and the media machine that hounds his every step. The most remarkable aspect of the director’s film is the boundless enthusiasm Carter has at the age of 83. Faced with reporters asking him questions about a book they don't seem to have read, an endless number of signings to attend, and countless plane trips, the former president shows incredible patience and understanding. Demme and his team shoot on compact digital cameras throughout, giving them a close-up look at Carter that would have been unthinkable in less technologically advanced times. Critics of Carter are unlikely to find much to change their views here, but his supporters will be pleased, and as a portrait of the media frenzy that follows anyone who once occupied the Oval Office, JIMMY CARTER MAN FROM PLAINS makes for fascinating viewing.