I thoroughly enjoyed watching this movie on DVD and draw the obvious comparison with Michael Sheens performance of tony Blair in the 'Queen' and of how Blair was portrayed in 'The Ghost Writer'. 'W' also springs to mind about George Bush and of course Peter Morgans other recent work about a political leader, 'Frost Nixon'.
At first I was watching a political comedy where Tony Blair was destined to become an Americanized Mr Bean. Dennis Quaid, as professional an actor as he is, was way too overpowering in the role of Bill Clinton who I am sure is a lot more gentler as a guy than the film portrayed.
The film ends up with us feeling a degree of sympathy for both Blair and particularly Clinton, though I doubt the reality of this. How special this relationship was compared with Thatcher and Regan or Blair and Bush, its difficult to say but it was absorbing to see the facts put through the 'mill' and an almost objective appraisal given of the problems raised by both leaders. Was the French President Chirac really that pompous? Were the leaders that close on a personal level? Actually, I think Tony Blair must be thinking himself - gosh that guy Sheen acts me than I do myself. He is certainly a very likable 'duplicate' of the real thing and perhaps a more acceptable version. a lot of recent history is dealt with in this 90 minute movie, as others have commented, nothing at all with that, the film is useful if only for English education in hearing English and American language side by side and a terrific dose of history as I have mentioned.
Might get Michael Sheen a much deserved Oscar nomination. As for Dennis Quaid, as AL gore might have once said - you are NO Bill Clinton! Got to say the two ladies playing the wives of Cheree and Hilary are almost comedy like and the script to some extent is more appropriate to a TV sit com than a movie suitable for DVD or cinema release.
Not knocking the movie. Its very watchable, not in any way tedious, quite funny at times and keep the kids out of the room at certain times when sexual innuendos are mentioned with reference to Bill Clinton's 'you know what'! Enjoy!
