Jeff Bridges' character, the president, has at least one often parodied Clintonesque attribute: an undisciplined appetite (for food). He's so thrilled that he can get a shark sandwich or hazelnut pudding on a moment's notice that he seems more buffoonish than presidential. This schtick is just played out too much, too often. The same way, Allen's character, Laine Hanson, is also too long-suffering and tight-lipped, for too long. Since it was written for Ms Allen, the writer might have been so in love with everything she does that he was blind to how repetitious such a performance could be. I don't know whether it's the script or the director (wait! the director wrote it!) that imposed such one-dimensionality on these characters. However, all the actors do a great job in spite of it. Gary Oldman especially breaks out of the box he's put in.
On the whole, it's a very good political movie, with an interesting surprise. In my opinion, it went on a bit too long with the insistence to not discuss the accusations, until the surprise. If it had been 20 minutes shorter, it would have been easier to take. And it's really hard to believe that any candidate in our current political climate either would, or could even survive without directly addressing such defamations. And, surely, after the testimony of Mariel Hemingway, the senator's boat would have been sunk if it were "real".
The DVD shows some scenes that were cut, legitimately. Since they didn't show her father's press conference, it makes me wonder why he was in the movie at all. Likewise, I would have cut out everything with Runyon's wife since they don't affect the plot. But I would have re-included the scene where Jerry got fired for suggesting they would back Hathaway. I was surprised, while watching the film, that this wasn't addressed.
I loved the speech the president gives at the end, not because it fits the movie all that well, but the sentiments expressed, especially the quote by Napoleon.
Anyway, it's not perfect, but a good movie with very good performances.
On the whole, it's a very good political movie, with an interesting surprise. In my opinion, it went on a bit too long with the insistence to not discuss the accusations, until the surprise. If it had been 20 minutes shorter, it would have been easier to take. And it's really hard to believe that any candidate in our current political climate either would, or could even survive without directly addressing such defamations. And, surely, after the testimony of Mariel Hemingway, the senator's boat would have been sunk if it were "real".
The DVD shows some scenes that were cut, legitimately. Since they didn't show her father's press conference, it makes me wonder why he was in the movie at all. Likewise, I would have cut out everything with Runyon's wife since they don't affect the plot. But I would have re-included the scene where Jerry got fired for suggesting they would back Hathaway. I was surprised, while watching the film, that this wasn't addressed.
I loved the speech the president gives at the end, not because it fits the movie all that well, but the sentiments expressed, especially the quote by Napoleon.
Anyway, it's not perfect, but a good movie with very good performances.