The American President Review
With the same writer, principal cast members (Martin_Sheen, at least), and White House milieu, The American President might now be considered Aaron_Sorkin's blueprint for his hit TV show The_West_Wing. Both share the same cheery liberal politics, portraying a near-perfect president fending off his dirty conservative opponents while staying out of the gutter himself. Michael_Douglas shines in the title role, showing he really can be loveable after the better part of a decade playing greedy capitalists and scuzzy detectives. But he's just a little too wonderful, with the perfect comment for any situation, for the film to seem like a nuanced character study. Similarly spotless is Annette_Bening as his lobbyist girlfriend, whose combination of attack-dog confidence and starry-eyed romanticism make for the complete image of a modern woman, so self-actualized that even the president's teenage daughter loves her at first meeting. It's difficult to believe that dating such a woman would cause the beloved widower's approval rating to drop 20 points, especially in this day and age. These extremes get at the underlying problem of what is otherwise a smart, engaging, and enjoyable film -- it's too afraid to show any chinks in the armor of its good guys, which turns the villains (like Richard_Dreyfuss's cackling fear-monger) into similarly one-dimensional symbols. But these sins can be forgiven, because it's great fun to get a realistic look at the behind-the-scenes life of a president, so unwittingly removed from the regular-guy things he loves that he can't even order flowers for his girlfriend without sending it through a committee. This inspires a string of funny moments that propel the film, making it a delightful movie-going experience -- at least for those who agree with its politics. Derek Armstrong, Rovi
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