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The American President (1995) 6.8
Ratings:
6.8/10 from 41,755 users
Metascore: 67/100
Reviews: 212 user | 75 critic | 21 from Metacritic.com Comedy-drama about a widowed U.S. president and a lobbyist who fall in love. It's all above-board, but "politics is perception" and sparks fly anyway. Director:Rob ReinerWriter:Aaron Sorkin |
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Michael Douglas | ... | ||
| Annette Bening | ... | ||
| Martin Sheen | ... | ||
| Michael J. Fox | ... | ||
| Anna Deavere Smith | ... | ||
| Samantha Mathis | ... | ||
| Shawna Waldron | ... | ||
| David Paymer | ... | ||
| Anne Haney | ... | ||
| Richard Dreyfuss | ... | ||
| Nina Siemaszko | ... | ||
| Wendie Malick | ... | ||
| Beau Billingslea | ... | ||
| Gail Strickland | ... | ||
| Joshua Malina | ... | ||
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Plot Synopsis
Storyline
Andrew Shepherd is approaching the end of his first term as President of the United States. He's a widower with a young daughter and has proved to be popular with the public. His election seems assured. That is until he meets Sydney Ellen Wade, a paid political activist working for an environmental lobby group. He's immediately smitten with her and after several amusing attempts, they finally manage to go on a date (which happens to be a State dinner for the visiting President of France). His relationship with Wade opens the door for his prime political opponent, Senator Bob Rumson, to launch an attack on the President's character, something he could not do in the previous election as Shepherd's wife had only recently died. Written by garykmcd
Taglines:
Why can't the most powerful man in the world have the one thing he wants most?Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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Details
Country:
USARelease Date:
17 November 1995 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Le président et Miss Wade See more »Filming Locations:
Big Bear Lake, Big Bear Valley, San Bernardino National Forest, California, USA See more »Box Office
Budget:
$62,000,000 (estimated)Opening Weekend:
£1,132,043 (UK) (15 December 1995)Gross:
£2,628,944 (UK) (19 January 1996)Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1
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By Meredith Willson
First line sung by Richard Dreyfuss.
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Did You Know?
Trivia
Produced by Rob Reiner's production company, Castle Rock Entertainment, which is named for a small town appearing in many works by Stephen King and the film adaptations thereof. It was the location of Reiner's own film Stand by Me (1986), but this was not the first film to feature the town. It previously appeared in Cujo (1983) and The Dead Zone (1983). The latter film featured Martin Sheen as a future Presidential candidate. See more »Goofs
The President's hairstyle changes as he visits his daughter for the first time. See more »Soundtracks
It's Beginning to Look Like ChristmasBy Meredith Willson
First line sung by Richard Dreyfuss.
See more »
Is there a genre that Rob Reiner can't work in and make successful? He captured comedy beautifully with The Sure Thing. Music was brilliant with This is Spinal Tap. Horror? How about Misery? Courtroom drama was awesome with A Few Good Men. And now we have a political drama/comedy. There is nothing this man can't do.
This movie works inspite of people's claims that it is too political. Well you know what, it's about the president of the United States of America, there's going to be a bit of poiltics in it. And guess what, guns do kill people, so to have an issue at hand here that deals with gun control is applaudable.
Okay, that's out of the way, let's talk about the film itself. Because it is wonderful. It is funny, well acted, and it is written with a good ear.
The cast in this film is one to be envied by almost everyone except Oliver Stone and Robert Altman who seem to get everyone to do their films. But here we have Douglas as the president, Sheen as his aid, Michael J. Fox, Samantha Mathis, Annette Bening as Sydney Ellen Wade and in my favourite performance, Richard Dreyfuss as the sniveling weasle Senator Bob Rumsen.
As the story goes, the president's character gets questioned when he ( a widow ) finds a girlfriend in Sydney Wade. The issues are handled wonderfully here. Nothing is really tip-toed around as the script writer ( Aaron Sorkin ) writes a brave script about what is right and wrong with being the president and having a girlfriend.
I personally liked the politics in the film. I enjoyed how Shepherd decides to ignore the critisism leveled at him until the very end when he gives one of the best written speeches I've ever seen in film. And when he flexes his authoritative muscles, you feel his power, you feel that the president has spoken. And I was moved. This is a great film and one that should be checked out for sure.
**** I also found it to be interesting that the character in the film that tries to get the issue of gun control brought to the forefront is Michael J. Fox. He is Canadian and we don't have problems with guns here. Is it a coincidence ( probably ) that he was chosen to play this role? Or was it done deliberately? Interesting.