American Resistance: the Deep State should be commended

 Trump was opinionated and used to getting his way or hurting those who objected.  In his campaign he made a lot of provocative statements that appealed to different voter segments that helped to elect him.  Russia may have thought they could control him or that America in chaos would benefit them, but they also used resources to help get him elected.

Perhaps because he was surprised to get elected he and his team were unprepared.  That enabled a resistance to slow him down, but unfortunately far from learning how to better serve America he has learned how better to serve his by now obsessed and somewhat demented self.  "American Resistance" was published in 2022 and depicts what Trump has revealed himself to be and how some government employees did what they could to alleviate the stubborn ineptitude.  The author predicted Trump's second term strategy.

Immigration was clearly a key motivating factor for voters.  Trump had suggested that Mexico was sending rapists and murderers.  At various times he instituted travel bans for a variety of countries most often black or brown revealing his motives were driven by bigotry more than security.  Rex Tillerson was declared State Secretary and after a while Tillerson describing Trump  "as a f-----g moron" and resigned.

Many dedicated government employees felt a dilemma:  they could stay on and try to mitigate the damage or they could make a statement and resign.  Some very good people did resign.  Others took advantage of the opportunity.  

Kirstjen Nielsen was chief of staff for the Department of Home Security developed strategies for dealing with the Trump team.  One was to offer alternatives in an effort to find out what he really wanted and explain options within legal rules.  Another was to explain consequences to a wider range of those affected.  She had a list of contacts to deal with specific issues.  She wasn't always successful, but in general did mitigate the overall disasters in her realm.

Trump was sensitive to the notion that Russia helped him, although he publicly asked for it.  The only adjustment made to the Republican platform was to hold back funds for Ukraine.  Before he made his infamous "perfect call" to Volodymyr Zelenskyy he had blocked more funds for Ukraine, but didn't mention that so he could tie it to a threat.  It became obvious that Trump thought he could get Zelenskyy to get damaging information on rival Joe Biden.  Some staff realized this was an impeachable act and before too long it was used for an impeachment proceeding.  He was forced to release the funds on this occasion.  Trump took revenge by forcing out an ambassador and a general who disappointed him.   

H.R. McMaster, a general replaced Mike Flynn as national security advisor, adopted the strategy of restricting who had access to Trump as he learned Trump was too easily distracted.  Knowing what he did, McMaster was quoted as saying "it was incontrovertible that Russia interfered in 2016" and shortly afterward he resigned before he could have been fired.  

Many earlier blog posts could have been selected, but perhaps these two explain Russian interference.:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2019/06/house-of-trump-house-of-putin.html  and http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2022/10/freezing-order.html

When the Covic Pandemic first got attention, Trump saw it as annoying.  His team had already discarded  the pandemic plan set up by Obama.  Dr. Anthony Fauci found himself very restricted, forbidden at one point talking directly to networks.  He would give a podcast to Harvard and let CNN pick it up.  He found Trump not paying as much attention to rational advice as to uninformed people.  Trump advocated using bleach to cure Covid without out much resistance, until Fauci challenged it.  There was more co-operation with the military who were concerned with personnel safety and used masks and distancing.

George Floyd's death at the hands of police created another crisis.   It had been witnessed and videotaped and quickly went viral.  For years Trump had berated Black Lives Matter as being disruptive.  He tried to get the military involved in putting down protests, but encountered a lot of resistance to that.

As the election approach there was concern over security, but they found Trump upset over any discussion related to what he called the "Russian Hoax."  It has been pointed out that the Russians did indeed try to influence the results.

After the election he refused to accept the results.  Some staff tried to restrain him, but were only partially successful.  The January 6th insurrection was witnessed by millions around the world.  Mike Pence has been credited with stopping Trump's desire to nullify the election and throw back the decision to the states, however he had to be coaxed and wavered at some of the early steps.  The police took the brunt of the attack suffering deaths and injuries to 150 officers.  Many staff tried to talk sense into Trump and finally he called off the rioters.

Afterwards Trump fired "unreliable" staff and replaced them with some he felt more loyal.

Rothkopf was concerned Trump was readying to make another run.  On one of his campaign speeches he threatened to legislate for the president to be able to fire anybody and "bring the deep state... to heel."  We know the Trump team has planned to do a more thorough job to make America fit their image. 

One view might be that Trump's first term was a rehearsal.  In the future we have to be concerned how Trump will react to humiliation.  On another hand there are plenty of right wingers ready to pick up where Trump has left off.  Will voters "wake" up?

We are All Trying Here--a study with egotistical artists

"We Are All Trying Here" (2026) is a bit of a new experience for me or at least a new perspective.  We all have seen films with temperamental actors and directors and writers that make life trying for those who work with them.  In reality there are a lot of inadequacies artistic people share with the rest of us.

Hwang Dong Do is first introduced as a failure, as the only one of the group of 8 not to have debuted a film.  But he is not quiet about it.  He hysterically rants about the deficiencies of the others.  The others protest, mocking him and from time to time ostracizing him.

He comes across Byun Eun-a as she very precisely denigrates his script in front of a producer.  Afterwards they meet by happenstance, without taking back her criticism she concedes that he had some intriguing insights.  At a studio she is mostly very quiet, but valued because of her incisive analysis of scripts.  We learn a little later she has secrets from her past as does Dong Do.  They become closer over time and she encourages him to re-write his script.

Although the series focuses on the two of them the viewers are made aware of the dynamics of the Group of 8 as well as some personal issues.  Hwang Jin-man is Dong Do's brother who at one time wrote a highly regarded poem, but has descended to alcoholism and suicide attempts.  Go Hye-jin as a CEO of film studio, a member of the Group of 8 and married to another member who she feels has an inferiority feeling towards Dong Do despite his vociferous attacks.  Eun-a deals with depression and personal concerns.  

Park Hae Young has a history of writing social series with psychological insights.  Perhaps where he comes closest is with his own craft.  The rest of staff and cast have also dealt with psychological subtleties.  This is a very emotionally sensitive series deserving a delicate touch.  These are some of the people who delivered.

Chae Yeong-hoon was the director.   He has 11 director credits and 1 for assistant director including "When the Camellias Bloom" (2019) and "Welcome to Sandal-ri" (2023).  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2024/06/welcome-to-sandal-ri.html

Park Hae Young was the writer.  He has 8 writing credits including "My Mister" (2018) and "My Liberation Diary" (2020).   See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2021/01/my-mister-is-slow-drama-with-emotional.html 

Koo Kyo-hwan played Hwang Dong Do.  He has acted in theatre and done music videos.  He once played a lead role as a transgender woman winning awards for it.  He has 23 acting credits, 3 for writing and 2 for directing including "A Werewolf Boy" (2012), "Escape from Mogadishu" (2021), "D.P." (2021-22) and "Extraordinary Attorney Woo" (2022).  See  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2022/04/escape-from-mogadishu-we-can-learn-to.html and http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/04/dp-stands-for-deserter-pursuit.html

Go Youn Jung played Byun Eun-a.  She has been a model in demand internationally.  Youn Jung has 112 acting credits including a favourite for this year "Can This Love Be Translated?" (2026).   See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2026/01/can-this-love-be-translated.html

Oh Jung Se played Park Geung-se, one of the successful members of the Group of Eight.  He has 100 acting credits including "Swing Kids" (2018), "When the Camellias Bloom" (2019), "It's Okay Not To Be Okay" (2020), "Little Women" (2022),  "When Life Gives you Tangerines" (2025) and "When the Stars Gossip" (2025).  See  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2021/03/its-okay-not-to-be-okay.html

and http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2025/04/when-life-gives-you-tangerines.html

Kang Mal-geum played Ko He-jin wife to Park Geung-se and the CEO of a film company.  Like other cast members she started in the theatre.  She has 28 acting credits including "Squid Game" (2021), "Thirty Nine" (2022), "Divorce Attorney Shin" (2023), "The Good Bad Mother" (2023) and "When Life Gives You Tangerines" (2025).  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/04/divorce-attorney-shin.html  and http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/06/the-good-bad-mother.html

Park Hae-joon played Hwan Jin-mae brother to Hwang Dong Do.  He also started in the theatre.  Jin-mae has 36 acting credits including  "Misaeng" (2014), "My Mister" (2018), "Broker" (2022) and "When Life Gives You Tangerines" (2025).   See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/07/broker-japanese-korean-collaboration.html

Bae Jong Ok played Oh Jeong Hui, an older influential actress.  She has 48 acting credits including "Designated Survivor:  60 Days" (2019).   See   http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2021/10/designated-survivor-60-days-remake-of.html

Disproportionately film makers like to present themselves, as honestly that is what they know best.  "We Are All Trying Here" is one of the best examples of this genre.  It is available sub-titled on Netflix.  

As usual I have bolded the first mention of films I have seen.  If you are able to follow some of the links you will better appreciate why this team was so suitable for such a nuanced portrayal of their own business.

One Day We'll talk about Today

 

Indonesia is turning out to be a bit of a gold mine for engaging films, fortunately Netflix has discovered them."One day We'll Talk About Today" (2020) is a family drama.  If you don't have any siblings you will view it as an outsider, but assuming you do have siblings you will identify with some of the tensions.

The first scenes are of a birth for the youngest daughter, Awan.  For some reason there is a bit of tension and the father Narenda talks to his oldest son Ankase who would be about 7 years old and commands him to take responsibility for his two sisters.  That commitment is taken seriously over the next decades.  

The family seems normal and even happy, but many of you will recognize patterns.  As Angkase grows up and is reminded he is responsible for his sisters, sometimes the youngest in particular, is testing him.  Awan has become conscious that much of her life is dependent on her brother and her father.  As they age towards their 20's the children  seem to feel their father is too controlling, but overlook how much effort he has exerted to protect them.   

Tension results in an outburst of resentment at one point.  It takes some cool heads to calm things down.   The ending is not surprising requiring a little give and take as you might have experienced.

What makes the film so engaging are the people behind it.   Here are some of them.

Anggga Dwimas Sasongko was the Director and an executive producer.  He got to a young start with tv commercials and music videos.  Angga has 47 credits  as a producer, 20 as director and 13 as a writer including "Cemara's Family" (2028), "13 Bombs" (2023), "Heartbreak Motel" (2024) and "Call Me Dad" (2025).  See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2022/01/cemaras-family.html

Mohammad Irfan Ramly He has 20 writing credits, 4 for the script and continuity department and 2 for producer.

Ofel Obaja Setiawan was the composer.  He has 31 composing credits, 3 for the music department and 1 for soundtrack including "A Brother and 7 Siblings" (2024).  See   http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2025/07/a-brother-and-7-siblings.html

Yadi Sugandi was the cinematographer.  He has 69 cinematography credits, 3 for directing and 1 for the camera and electrical department.

Hendra Adhi Susanto was the editor with 25 editor credits and 4 for the editorial department including "Cemara's Family" (2018), "13 Bombs" (2023), "Heartbreak Motel" (2024), "A Brother and 7 Siblings" (2024) and "Call Me Dad" (2025).  See  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2025/12/call-me-dad.html

Rio Dewanto played Angkase, the older brother.  He has 51 acting credits and 3 for producer including "13 Bombs" (2023).

Sheila Dara Aisha played the older sister, Aurora.  She has 32 acting credits and 3 for soundtrack including "Miracle in Cell No. 7" (2022), "Cigarette Girl" (2023), "Heartbreak Motel" (2024) and "A Brother and 7 Siblings" (2024).    See http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2023/11/cigarette-girl.htm and http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2025/04/2nd-miracle-in-cell-no-7.html

Rachel Amanda played Awan, the youngest daughter.  She was a model and a singer.  Rachel has 22 acting credits and 2 for soundtrack.  

Ardhito Pramona played Kale, a boyfriend to Awan.  He is a singer and songwriter and wrote a song for this film that won an award.  Ardhito has 7 acting credits including "13 Bombs" (2023).

"One Day We'll Talk About Today" is available subtitled on Netflix.  If you like family dramas it is very realistic.  

As usual I have bolded the first mention of films I have seen.  Some of them are among my favourite Indonesian films and a big part of my Indonesian obsession.  If you follow the links you should be able to determine if any film is worth following up.