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The American President (1995)

What a smart, fast, feel-good movie about American politics and the power of the presidency. And how unlikely (these thing don't usually go together).

What makes it work? Everything! I know deep down that this isn't a masterpiece, a Citizen Kane or Godfather kind of movie. But it is in its own way perfect. It's funny as can be--endlessly witty or sarcastic or actually cleverly funny. It's acted to a T, including of course the two leads, Michael Douglas in his alpha male with a personable side and Annette Bening in her utterly charming and disarmingly sharp warmth.

It's almost impossible to appreciate the huge list of side characters who are first rate through and through, even in their very brief roles. Richard Dreyfuss might be the least of these since he plays an obvious stereotype. Michael J. Fox is funny and quick and Martin Sheen is quasi-presidential as he needs to be since of course (via "West Wing") he later becomes the president.

But not here. This is the story of Douglas and Bening. It presages the excellent British version , in its own way, "Love Actually," with Hugh Grant and an equally big cast of excellent extras, but that was more purely feel-good (or feel-incredibly-good) and this one eight years earlier actually has a political axe to grind.

In fact, I'm going to guess that one reason for the slightly deflated ratings is the conservative audience didn't really like what the president stands for here, and though it is just a movie, it's easier to root for the cast when they tend to agree with you. And agree in emphatic eloquent ways. There is a speech Douglas (as president) gives toward the end that comes out and boldly takes a simple stand for decent liberal values. He's confident, clear, and unwavering. And if you agree with that kind of thing (I do) you want to say hurrah.

And you want our own darned president to say what he believes so simply and with such firmness.

Of course, all of this is simplified and made too easy. Luckily it's not only about politics. In fact it's a comedy or manners, you might say, the protocol of who to behave with and near the president being fodder for great laughs just as much as the Victorian plays and movies had fun with the same twists of expectations. No wonder it morphed into a hit television series--though oddly enough the humor gets minimized. Maybe the same kinds of jokes wear themselves out.

Rob Reiner is maybe our most astute politically astute director, at least when there is a sense of humor required. He cut his teeth in every way with the best, working with and under Norman Lear in years of shooting (and performing, as "Meathead") in "All in the Family." It shows here. He has a real knack for timing, for turning absurdity to wit, and for warmth. (He probably got some of that from the Smothers Brothers, too.) If you like this don't stop here--Reiner has many other good or possibly great movies, many getting better reviews than this one.

But here we have "The American President," deceptively simple in its title. This is above all a really cozy movie. You want to watch, and you want to be there. At least for a couple hours.

I sound foolish liking this silly movie too much, but there you have it.

One of the greatest movie finale speeches ever, literal chills. The american president has always been a favorite of mine. The characters are well acted and quite lovely. The storyline is unique and has a good mix of heartfelt and comical. Endlessly rewatchable.

The writing is sharp, though you can tell Sorkin hadn't quite mastered his style. The story is actually pretty reasonable and makes for an interesting film. Michael Douglas is excellent as the president and you can see the model from which Sorkin would craft Josiah Bartlet. All in all, this is a decent diversion and I enjoyed most of it.

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.

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.