"537 Votes" airs on HBO and HBO Max beginning Wednesday. Subscriber Three months later Stone went to trail for witness tampering, obstructing an official proceeding, and five counts of making false statements connected to the Robert Mueller Special Counsel investigation. Through a mutual friend — ESPN host Dan Le Batard — McKay was able to see a sizzle reel of the documentary. Judge in 2000 election recount issues warning about Trump. With McKay now on board as an executive producer, "537 Votes" found a home at HBO Documentaries and got what Corben had wished all along: a voice in this year's election cycle. "If this is a close election in a number of swing states, I think it's going to be a legitimate constitutional crisis," Corben said. He ordered a Stoli martini and said to us, 'Don't tell anyone I drink Russian vodka,' and agreed to an interview, but said we should 'schedule it forth with, as time is of the essence.'". We didn't want it to be Trump-centric, but we wanted it to be timely and relevant.". Director Billy Corben ("Cocaine Cowboys", "Screwball") felt on the 20th anniversary of that contentious outcome it was important to spotlight what may be the most #BecauseFlorida moment in the history of the country. "I don't think we've seen the bottom yet of what this man is capable of," Corben added. After Truth: Disinformation and the Cost of Fake News, Kill Chain: The Cyber War on America's Election. Documentary film 537 Votes chronicles the political machinations that led to the unprecedented, contested outcome of the 2000 presidential election, including the chaotic voter recount in Florida that ended with George W. Bush winning by a razor-thin margin. In what would become one of the closest presidential elections in history, Bush won over Gore by a tiny margin of 537 votes. Yet he traces that back to the outrage triggered by the story of Gonzalez, whose mother died bringing him to the US, as her family wrestled with his father over the boy's return to Cuba. "We got to the restaurant and within minutes the skies opened and it got pitch black and there was a thunderstorm that came out of nowhere. 537 Votes is directed by Billy Corben, executive produced by Adam McKay and Todd Schulman, and produced by Billy Corben and Alfred Spellman. "I think the lesson in the doc is that close elections can be stolen," he continued. The HBO doc examines the events surrounding the presidential recount in Florida, which decided the 2000 election. ", Among other things, the election-night section includes clips of then-CBS anchor Dan Rather going hog wild with his famous Dan-isms, saying the heat from Florida -- as the state moved in and out of the Gore, Bush and "too close to call" columns -- was "hot enough to peel housepaint.". Like what you see here? One standout story is when Corben detailed the "Brooks Brothers riot," in which a demonstration took place with the goal of shutting down the recount. Indeed, the end-justifies-the-means attitude is summed up by none other than Trump ally, Whoever deserves the credit and/or blame, the primary takeaway from "537 Votes" -- aside from presenting Miami as a hotbed of craziness -- is that while Gore's representative, former Secretary of State Warren Christopher, wanted to send the world a broader message about decorum and democracy, Republican steadfastly focused on victory.Toward that end, their efforts to halt the vote counting -- including the so-called, The Miami--Dade Canvassing Board and attorneys reviewing ballots during the 2000 Florida recount. "537 Votes," a documentary Corben and his producing partner Alfred Spellman made with their own money, chronicles the circus that occurred in South Florida to decide the election in 2000 — which included a divided region due to the international custody battle over then 5-year-old Cuban citizen Elian Gonzalez, hanging chads on voting ballots, and Republican operatives like Roger Stone stirring the pot. The HBO doc examines the events surrounding the presidential recount in Florida, which decided the 2000 election. But how we got to that point showed the extremely ugly side of American politics. Filed Under: 2000 Presidential Election, 537 Votes, Billy Corben, Local TV, Miami News. Share. Suddenly the doors opened [with] this storm raging, and in came Roger Stone without a drop of rain on him," Corben said, which brought a roaring laugh from McKay. Figuring Out How to Win. "It was a labor of love," Corben said of his period doc. With the margin of victory hinged on Florida, George W. Bush won the presidency by a mere 537 votes. "I think he uses his lame duck session to dismantle the government and maybe try and create some sort of crisis that does allow him to stay in office even though he lost the election," McKay said. "537 Votes" director Billy Corben and executive producer Adam McKay spoke to Insider about the making of the documentary. "I think that's the proper way to interpret this story that's tragic and ridiculous and absurd.". Adam McKay, the writer-director known best for his comedies with Will Ferrell ("Anchorman," "Step Brothers"), was a huge fan of their work. Thanks to Corben's unconventional style, the movie explores this moment in history with a lighthearted touch, which is something desperately needed in today's climate, McKay believes. And that all came to a head in the presidential election between Republican nominee, George W. Bush, and Democrat nominee, Al Gore. Corben and Spellman have prided themselves throughout their careers in staying outside of the Hollywood machine. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories, Every Ryan Gosling movie, ranked by critics. Watch. 537 Votes is directed by Billy Corben, executive produced by Adam McKay and Todd Schulman, and produced by Billy Corben and Alfred Spellman. "We needed to create something that tonally was going to be more watchable.". At times it also feels like a heist movie as it gives a blow-by-blow of how Republican operatives caused havoc during the recount process in Florida's Miami-Dade county. ‘537 Votes’ review: BIlly Corben’s HBO documentary revisits Florida election chaos. From director Billy Corben and his producing partner Alfred Spellman, with Adam McKay (HBO’s “Succession”) and Todd Schulman executive producing, the film details how the international custody battle over six-year old Elian Gonzalez triggered a political earthquake in Miami-Dade County in 2000, swaying the outcome of the presidential election. In the case of landing Stone for the documentary, Corben said he and Spellman had an unforgettable first meeting with the infamous conservative political consultant last August at a Fort Lauderdale steakhouse. Republicans feared recounting votes could give Al Gore a lead in the electio. "We broke bread with him. "I don't think it's going to end well.". ‌If you’re a current HBO subscriber, you might already have access to HBO Max — all of HBO plus blockbuster movies, must-see series, and new Max Originals.