Mi querido presidente

I don't mean that as a slam. I like Pretty Woman a lot, too. But this movie is my "cure for all ills" movie. The one I throw in the DVD player on rainy Sunday afternoons and crack out my best junk food. And the political setting seems to give it more meat.

Michael Douglas is perfect. Annette Benning is perfect (and I would give anything to look as beautiful as she does in that blue dress at the State Dinner). Michael J. Fox, Martin Sheen, Anna Devoure Smith. People being passionate about each other and about important issues and about doing the right thing. Everything about this movie lifts me up when I'm feeling down.

I'm not a liberal, and I'm not a conservative - I fall somewhere in the middle. My beliefs in gun control to not include "(getting) the guns". But this movie is so good - that I can look past the occasional differences in political views. Those views are presented in a smart, thoughtful and constructive manner - and I appreciate them even though they are not my own.

I enjoy this movie for what it is - a sweet, smart, funny movie set in one of the most "romantic" settings in the world - The White House.

Good film. I went through the movie one more time. Except for Andrew Shepard didn't even bring a translator to the grand diplomacy party with the French president and his wife, and it was a bit awkward to watch only the president and Sydney dancing in a hall full of 200 essential political figures, because they were supposed to be the lead, it was supposed to be a dance ball if the president commanded a dance, but everyone was just watching quietly, like they were tolerating Andrew's inappropriately behavior with courtesy. I planned to watch the links and key scenes for flaws, but instead I came back with swelling excitement and red cheeks and hands sore from squeezing too hard. I guess I'm not a good critic. Here comes more accolade. Aaron Sorkin is an expert on exposing four year of Andrew's Whitehouse life with a few phases mentioning the customs, like the crew's been there all the time. And the opening scene is divine, I didn't thought much of this film, because I bumped into it when going over Netflix, but the opening scene told me outright that American President wasn't just any film. I was deeply absorbed by the grand music and words floating on a white sculpture, and other totems like eagle, the flag, presidents' portraits and so on. National pride oozed out with a sense of solemnity. Then we witness the charm of the president and Whitehouse's departments clicked like a engine made from Germany.

The American President has more than just a whiff of conventionality and predictability in it, but it still remains interesting, enjoyable, and amusing thanks to a competently executed screenplay and excellent performances. The American President is excellent because it has a taut, very lean screenplay which disposes of any silliness of unnecessary scenes. As a result the film runs with excellent pace and their boredom never creeps in at all. My most common complaint with films like this, which marries its characters personal life's with their professional ones, is that often films becomes clunking handled, where the plot driving the necessary conflict in the romcom arises from matters related to their occupations rather than their personal lives. In fact that was my problem with Broadcast News, and it is to screenwriter Sorkins credit that this is not a problem here. Despite the president being supposedly a man with essentially no personal life, the screenplay is able to cleverly navigate this theme of delineating the two spheres. Whereas the central conflict of this film still arises from the leads' differences in their professional lives, their professional lives are interesting, intriguing, and well presented, and the resolution recognises such a delineation. This film also has wonderful performances from the two appealing leads. Michael Douglas, a splitting image of his father, the legend Kirk Douglas, is suave, witty, and charismatic. He shares good chemistry with Annette Bennings Sydney, who manages wonderfully her role- She is adorable and likeable though there is still no doubt Sydney is a strong willed, assertive, fully formed woman. Sorkins screenplay also has several profound insights on the difficulty of being commanded in chief, a scene about janitors and proportional response being a particularly memorable moment. All I can say is Sorkin is a master at writing, and his screenplay here is consistently excellent material. Overall, The American President is a very enjoyable, likable romcom that contains good insights about politics. It is a charming, competently managed film.

Aaron Sorkin's script and pitch-perfect performances by Annette Bening and Michael Douglas create a funny and ultimately poignant movie that makes a viewer happy to be an American.

Douglas portrays a flawed but deeply honest president who knows how to learn from his mistakes. He conducts himself with dignity. Bening is a political lobbyist with a strong commitment to the environment. (Interesting that a film made 23years ago outlines environmental issues more clearly than they would be articulated today!) How can a relationship develop between two people given their very different positions in the political life of the country? How they work through these issues goes from humorous to dramatic and, of course, a happy ending.

All the minor characters are well fleshed out. In particular, Martin Sheen as Chief of Staff wants happiness for his old friend, but is very aware of the poltiical realities involved. Michael J. Fox wants the president to be the best man he can be, wants him to live up to the highest values of the office.

Watching this film, I am struck by the ability of the Office of the President to create positive change in this world. I hope we can see this reflected at the White House once again some day.

This film sees the best acting from Michael Douglas (my God, he isn't a villain), Annette Bening (power woman), Michael J Fox (finally not a teen) and Martin Sheen (oh so amusing). This is such a warm film. It is innocent yet powerful. And the humour is second to none. Just fabulous.