While Julianne Moore fairly embodies Sarah Palin in the HBO film Game Change, it appears that there are important family dynamics left out of the movie.

Here is a portion of an interview with Melissa Farman, who plays Bristol in the HBO movie Game Change, courtesy of Black Book:

BB: It’s nearly impossible to not know the story of Game Change already, but had you read the book before you started shooting? I did! 

Melissa Farman: I’m actually a senior at University of Southern California where I’m a double-major in political science and English lit. I was actually reading the book for class a few months before I auditioned. So it’s funny, having studied the book and kind of seeing the script come to life just a few months later. 

BB: It’s interesting that it’s focusing primarily on the McCain/Palin campaign, which I think is the more juicy part of the story. Was it kind of a challenge to portray someone is who still alive and still making news? Were you hesitant about that? 

MF: I think it’s daunting. You have a responsibility toward that person that is very much alive, not only just alive but alive in the media. There’s definitely going to be a lot more scrutiny, and there’s a sense of wanting not to just mimic the person and wanting to be free to create a character. At the same time, having that responsibility is what makes it all the more exciting. It’s also helpful to have someone who’s so much in the public’s conscience right now, in the sense that there was so much media around Bristol. The film focalizes on the campaign trail and how all of a sudden she was thrown into the limelight. I could really watch so much footage of her really getting used to the camera and kind of developing her personality once she was on the public stage. There was a lot of material for me to study, which was great.

BB: I saw the Palin people have already attacked the film. 

MF: My cousin just sent me a YouTube video where some Palin supporter re-cut the trailer to show that the film was full of lies. There’s concern for sure, but, you know, if a movie’s being made about you, you’re going to wonder if it’s going to be what you want it to be. I think the film is a very balanced portrayal of Sarah Palin. In politics there’s always bound to be controversy, but I think this is storytelling, and it shows the behind-the-scenes of a campaign -- both positive and negative. I think the film really empathizes on a personal level with Sarah Palin the woman. I think that’s something that maybe the Sarah Palin team is scared is not going to happen, but it does. 

BB: Has Bristol said anything? 

MF: No, she has not come out with anything publicly. I know Megan McCain has, but Bristol hasn’t.

This young woman has a DOUBLE major in Political Science, and she was asked to portray Bristol "I wanna be a reality star" Palin? And here I thought that Julianne Moore had the hardest acting job in the film!

Of course it really could have been even more challenging if HBO had truly understood the relationship between Sarah and Bristol.

While I certainly understand the reticence to appear to be attacking, or being too intrusive while depicting, the Palin children, I am also a little disappointed that it does not appear that HBO really understood the complex dynamic that was taking place within the Palin family.

They seem to have whitewashed Palin's relationship with Track almost completely, and failed to recognize how bizarre Sarah's codependency with Bristol was, and how that helped dictate her all encompassing desire to create a more palatable family mythology that would garner her support among the Fundamentalists, the military families, and women.

While I understand that the pregnancy will (briefly) be addressed in the movie it is abundantly clear that HBO chose not to depict, or failed to recognize, how the new born Down syndrome child and the teenage daughter's pregnancy were connected.

Of course if they had, I imagine that they would probably have had a MUCH harder time getting this movie made, and I can only imagine how much MORE intense the backlash would have been from the Palin supporters.

Though speaking for myself that is a movie that I personally would be much more interested in watching. Maybe someday.