Bulworth (1998)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Warren Beatty

Writers (WGA):

Warren Beatty (story)
Warren Beatty (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

15 May 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Brace yourself. This politician is about to tell the truth!

Plot:

A suicidally disillusioned liberal politician puts a contract out on himself and takes the opportunity to be bluntly honest with his voters by affecting the rhythms and speech of hip-hop music and culture.

Plot Keywords:

Hip Hop | Senator | Politician | Insurance | Socialism

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win & 14 nominations

Cast

Kimberly Deauna Adams	...	Denisha
Vinny Argiro	...	Debate Director
Sean Astin	...	Gary
Kirk Baltz	...	Debate Producer
Ernie Lee Banks	...	Leroy (as Ernie Banks)
Amiri Baraka	...	Rastaman
Christine Baranski	...	Constance Bulworth
Adilah Barnes	...	Mrs. Brown
Warren Beatty	...	Sen. Jay Billington Bulworth
Graham Beckel	...	Man with Dark Glasses
Halle Berry	...	Nina
Brandon N. Bowlin	...	Bouncer #2
Mongo Brownlee	...	Henchman #3
Thomas Jefferson Byrd	...	Uncle Rafeeq
J. Kenneth Campbell	...	Anthony

Also Known As:

Tribulations (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Netherlands:12 | South Korea:18 | Philippines:R-18 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A | Chile:18 | France:U | Germany:12 (bw) | Norway:11 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:R(A) | Spain:13 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | USA:R (certificate #36031) | Brazil:16

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Aaron Sorkin and James Toback did a great deal of uncredited work on the script.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When the "lightning" flashes in the opening sequence, you can clearly see the lights reflected in the marble floor

Quotes:

[Feldman and Murphy are concerned about Bulworth's rapping]
Bill Feldman: You know something? We had a next-door neighbor who would lose her mind from time to time. What was weird when she got like that was this: she could only speak in song lyrics.
Bullworth: Murphy, Feldman, you're lookin' pretty beat / I thought you might feel better with some ribs to eat / Eat 'em, gentlemen, you'll think they're really fine / And if you want a couple more you can get 'em anytime!
Dennis Murphy: I am incredibly frightened.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 56th Annual Golden Globe Awards (1999) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Ultra Design (Alternative)

Beatty's back taking chances

One of the renegade stars from the 1960's, Warren Beatty had suddenly become soft in the '90's (what with the excruciating "Love Affair"). But "Bulworth" finds him treading semi-dangerous ground again, and it is a relief. In 1996, Democratic Senator in California is running for a staid re-election, when he suddenly ditches his straight-laced campaign and concentrates on winning over black, urban voters. Beatty as a 'brother'? It's actually less painful than it sounds, and the actor/director is wise to surround himself with a very competent troupe of supporting players (including Halle Berry in the best performance I've seen from her). A well-made picture with a thoughtful message and finale, although the film's aim to be a wicked send-up of politics is slightly compromised by a dopey hit-man sub-plot. **1/2 from ****