I've noticed a strange trend with Rob Reiner films. I always go in expecting something with pretty low standards, and then I always seem to come out pleasantly surprised. Such is the case with The American President. It stars Michael Douglas as Alex Shepard, President of the United States of America. The film tells the story about This widowed President who meets and falls in love with a lobbyist and how they make their relationship work amongst the political strife Shepard must deal with every day, being the President and all. It's a sappy love story on the surface, but a charming, intellectual, and expertly written film at its core.
I was skeptical of what this movie would entail at first, but my hopes were lifted significantly when I saw Aaron Sorkin's name under the words "Written by" during the opening credits. The American President boasts very clever and witty dialogue from start to finish. I wouldn't call it Sorkin's greatest achievement, but it certainly doesn't smell of anything less than excellent. Being that Sorkin is a pretentious fellow there is some pretentious dialogue in here, with lines that more show off Sorkin's craft word play than further the plot, but overall it is astoundingly well structured dialogue that flows with the always recognizable Sorkin cadence, keeping this film moving at a rapid pace that snaps from scene to scene with the utmost professionalism.
It also helps that Sorkin's dialogue was given the privilege of being delivered by an incredible cast. Michael Douglas and Annette Bening star in the film with radiant chemistry. Their separate performances are remarkable, but together they make an otherwise cheesy story compelling. The supporting cast includes fantastic performances from the likes of Martin Sheen, Michael J. Fox, and even Richard Dreyfuss. Every actor in this film does their part and they all work so well to bring this film together and lift if above it's clichéd and predictable shell.
Without some key elements of this film it could have been pretty terrible, but the right people lined up in the right places to make this film actually work. It's a worthwhile watch that makes an effective use of two hours if you enjoy snappy dialogue and great performances. I wouldn't say that I was touched or moved by this film, but I can say that it kept me interested and it had enough intellect, charm, humor, and talent to make me enjoy it just enough to say good things about it and then move on.
I was skeptical of what this movie would entail at first, but my hopes were lifted significantly when I saw Aaron Sorkin's name under the words "Written by" during the opening credits. The American President boasts very clever and witty dialogue from start to finish. I wouldn't call it Sorkin's greatest achievement, but it certainly doesn't smell of anything less than excellent. Being that Sorkin is a pretentious fellow there is some pretentious dialogue in here, with lines that more show off Sorkin's craft word play than further the plot, but overall it is astoundingly well structured dialogue that flows with the always recognizable Sorkin cadence, keeping this film moving at a rapid pace that snaps from scene to scene with the utmost professionalism.
It also helps that Sorkin's dialogue was given the privilege of being delivered by an incredible cast. Michael Douglas and Annette Bening star in the film with radiant chemistry. Their separate performances are remarkable, but together they make an otherwise cheesy story compelling. The supporting cast includes fantastic performances from the likes of Martin Sheen, Michael J. Fox, and even Richard Dreyfuss. Every actor in this film does their part and they all work so well to bring this film together and lift if above it's clichéd and predictable shell.
Without some key elements of this film it could have been pretty terrible, but the right people lined up in the right places to make this film actually work. It's a worthwhile watch that makes an effective use of two hours if you enjoy snappy dialogue and great performances. I wouldn't say that I was touched or moved by this film, but I can say that it kept me interested and it had enough intellect, charm, humor, and talent to make me enjoy it just enough to say good things about it and then move on.