A review by Brooks Rich
Anyone remember a little show called The West Wing? Aaron Sorkin's political masterpiece about the inner workings of the White House? Well in 1995 Sorkin was working out his ideas for the West Wing in a romantic comedy called The American President.
Michael Douglas is President Andrew Shepherd, a widower president who is seen as too passive by the press and his political rivals. A political strategist named Sydney Allen Wade, played by Annette Bening, is hired by an environmental strategy firm to persuade the president to support legislation reducing carbon monoxide emissions. Shepherd is smitten by Wade and they begin an affair that causes shake ups on both sides of the political spectrum.
Like in any Sorkin screenplay the dialogue is top notch. Sorkin is a dialogue master and all those walking and talking scenes from The West Wing got their start in this screenplay. The script is full of that quick back and forth Sorkin is so good at. It is kind of funny to see Martin Sheen in this as the President's right hand man AJ where he would later play the President on West Wing.
Even with writing a romantic comedy, Sorkin shows the political back alley bullshit that goes on in Washington. He highlights the bullshit that can distract people from the real issues. The press doesn't care about the issues. The president has a girlfriend. How scandalous! It's amazing to see now that twenty-one years after this movie the presidential election became a fucking reality show.
I have praised Michael Douglas before when Forgotten Friday covered A Perfect Murder. In there Douglas perfectly plays a sociopathic murderous husband. Here Douglas brilliantly plays a likable if naive first term president. He and Being have great chemistry together and they easily handle Sorkin's snappy dialogue. The film is directed by Rob Reiner. He has a steady eye and doesn't get too fancy. Sometimes a director shows talent by not being flashy.
This is a great film. It's a good distraction during these trying times and it's not to see a president who is a leader for once, even if they are fictional. That's all we have right now.
Anyone remember a little show called The West Wing? Aaron Sorkin's political masterpiece about the inner workings of the White House? Well in 1995 Sorkin was working out his ideas for the West Wing in a romantic comedy called The American President.
Michael Douglas is President Andrew Shepherd, a widower president who is seen as too passive by the press and his political rivals. A political strategist named Sydney Allen Wade, played by Annette Bening, is hired by an environmental strategy firm to persuade the president to support legislation reducing carbon monoxide emissions. Shepherd is smitten by Wade and they begin an affair that causes shake ups on both sides of the political spectrum.
Like in any Sorkin screenplay the dialogue is top notch. Sorkin is a dialogue master and all those walking and talking scenes from The West Wing got their start in this screenplay. The script is full of that quick back and forth Sorkin is so good at. It is kind of funny to see Martin Sheen in this as the President's right hand man AJ where he would later play the President on West Wing.
Even with writing a romantic comedy, Sorkin shows the political back alley bullshit that goes on in Washington. He highlights the bullshit that can distract people from the real issues. The press doesn't care about the issues. The president has a girlfriend. How scandalous! It's amazing to see now that twenty-one years after this movie the presidential election became a fucking reality show.
I have praised Michael Douglas before when Forgotten Friday covered A Perfect Murder. In there Douglas perfectly plays a sociopathic murderous husband. Here Douglas brilliantly plays a likable if naive first term president. He and Being have great chemistry together and they easily handle Sorkin's snappy dialogue. The film is directed by Rob Reiner. He has a steady eye and doesn't get too fancy. Sometimes a director shows talent by not being flashy.
This is a great film. It's a good distraction during these trying times and it's not to see a president who is a leader for once, even if they are fictional. That's all we have right now.
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