The American President (1995)

How sad is this?

Did you people see the same film I saw?

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

The Democratic U.S. President, a handsome widower with a teenage daughter who is up for re-election, finds his poll numbers dropping after meeting and dating an attractive environmental lobbyist; the Republican candidate (a slimy worm) combats what is left of the president's reputation with mud-slinging (seems the president's new lady-friend was present at a rally some 17 years ago where an American flag was burned). Star-laden comedy juggles politics with romance and lightly comic asides, but why the president's approval rating keeps dropping never makes much sense (one woman worries about the poor First Daughter caught in the middle!). Aaron Sorkin's screenplay is pure fluff--even the dramatic points he hopes to make, such as a bungled metaphor about people following a mirage in the desert, are noodle-soft. In the leads, Michael Douglas and Annette Bening share a very nice chemistry, and they're surrounded by a wonderful assortment of acting talent, but the political arena director Rob Reiner gives us here simply isn't persuasive. **1/2 from ****

This really isn't a bad movie but it seems unfortunately (like most of Rob Reinards films) they have to have a political statement in them....his political statement in this case gun control which not only do I not believe in I don't believe things like this should be put into movies to try to subliminally get people to go along with others views and as I said I found it to be a very decent movie but just way too pushy with the gun control aspects in it. So all in all I didn't care for it much I just wanted the reader to see that this is one of those films that try to push an opinion on other people. I just feel as an avid movie watcher that your supposed to be entertained not attempted to be swayed in another persons political agenda. I was entertained by the hows of congress etc and goings on of the president but specially toward the end there I got the feeling that the whole movie was made as a statement to get people to believe in what the director believes in.

I enjoyed this film. It's pleasant and often very smart. I'm not American, I'm Canadian. Maybe I don't have the right to speak out about Presidents. I just know what I like. Everyone has a different opinion, but I haven't cared for any of the presidents since I've been alive, and I'm 28 years old. Politics bore me to begin with, but this movie is so likable, I couldn't help but enjoy myself. Michael Douglas is one of my favorite actors, and he's rarely been more charming. This is a president I pine for. One that is sharp, witty, caring, genuine, and human. He's not perfect, and he's not ashamed to be human. He actually cares about what the public wants. I get awfully tired of presidents giving people what they want to hear, and not follow up on it. Andrew Shephard (Douglas) will make people pine for a president as good as he is. Douglas was excellent. Annette Bening makes for a solid love interest. Her chemistry with Douglas was great as well. I do have a minor complaint, and that's how the opposing candidate (Richard Dreyfuss) is written. He is shoddily thrown in, without much background or development that is needed. He suddenly shows up to do undermining tactics towards Douglas, and it wasn't enough for me. Maybe I'm being too fickle on this, but it fell flat for me. I will say it's nice to see clichés evaded for once, when it comes to a daughter meeting a love interest of their Father's. I get so tired of the "Screw you, I want my Mom" attitude that they do in movies with daughters, so it was refreshing to see a scenario where the daughter accepts the love interest. I give all the credit to Shawn Waldron for being such a likable daughter to Douglas. Martin Sheen is great as Douglas's right hand man, and Michael J. Fox is solid as support. I loved Michael Douglas's monologue at the end as well. Final Thoughts: Watch this movie whenever you get depressed with the current president. It'll make you wish for a lot of things, but you'll also feel happy and entertained by it. It's a good movie. 7.5/10

Greetings from Lithuania."The American President" is a movie making at its best. Key performances are wonderful by both leads. Directing, music is good. And the real star of the film is script. It's so clever, funny and realistic that you can't keep wondering how the writer put all this stuff together. Well, it's Aaron Sorkin - and that's the answer. This film - is a great film. It's not cheese romantic love story. Watch this film, if you love great writing, great performances and good believable romance. "The American President" is a charmer. This film is the second film that i writing review about, which headline contains word "charming", the first was "The Kids are all right". And do you want to know what they have in common? Annette Bening. She is marvelous.