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First: This film was only nominated for an Oscar for Best Musical Score (1996). It didn't win. Second: Save the recent notable exception of a six year three film trilogy the Acadamy did not DARE ignore, the vast majority of my favorite films don't get nominated for Oscars. Why? Because Almighty Oscar is supposed to be about the "art" of acting. This film is not about "art". It's about people. Real people, in surreal circumstances. A classic "what if?" scenario. An invitation to suspend belief and consider the impossible. The premise: Andrew Shepherd. Handsome, charming, intelligent. Widower and father to thirteen year old Lucy. Oh, yes...and President of the United States. A man any woman would jump at the chance to date, yes? But... What if he did actually WANT to date? Enter Sydney Ellen Wade. Brilliant lawyer. Political activist and newly hired big gun for the Global Defense Council, the most powerful environmental lobby on the Hill. Oh, yes... and incredibly beautiful, of course. One fair summer afternoon, President Shepherd, in his third year in office, finds himself ahead of schedule. His able aide, Janie (Samantha Mathis) reminds him to stop his Chief of Staff's meeting with the GDC, to smooth the way for an environmental bill which contains only half of the GDC's demands. Sydney, fresh off the plane and into the lion's den, is passionately expounding on the merits of the GDC's demands and the foolhardiness of the President's taking their influence lightly come re-election. Concluding by accusing Shepherd of being the President of Fantasyland, she's suddenly aware that the subject of her scathing remarks is standing two feet behind her. And a romance is born. Moments later, she stands in the Oval Office, completely overwhelmed by her surroundings, and the President's promise. He tells her, provided she can lobby the prerequisite number of supporting votes, he will call in his own markers and send the bill to the floor with not only the conditions the GDC is demanding, but the number of votes necessary for it to pass. She exits, stunned by her encounter with the President. He remains, stunned by Sydney. So begins this sweet and funny romantic comedy. Director Rob Reiner teams with writer Andrew Sorkin and pays homage to his years with the legendary Norman Lear with his short, tight scenes loaded with intelligent humour interspersed with real emotion. Asking us to suspend belief in the setting, Reiner nonetheless makes us WANT to believe that this story of the growing love between two genuine people could actually come true. The ensemble of actors seamlessly deliver their lines in a style that makes you feel as if you are watching an actual conversation, not an expertly written script. Michael Douglas is perfect as Shepherd, sweetly clueless as he attempts to be just a "regular guy". Annette Benning's Sydney, underneath the driven lobbyist, is down to earth and equally lovely at a State Dinner or in sweats. Martin Sheen, as always, is top flight as A.J. MacInerney, Shepherd's Chief of Staff and long time best friend, and Michael J. Fox is at his best as passionately dedicated Press Secretary Lewis Rothschild. This movie is so full of memorable quotes, it's impossible to single out the best. When its over, you're sorry. You'd like to spend more time with these people. And, just in case someone from the Acadamy visits eBay,isn't that what the "art" of acting is all about? Buy this film. You'll love it.Read full review
this movie touches on how things really work in politics. politicians are politicians, until something reminds them that they are, can and should be human also. i have 2 dvds of this movie that skip sometimes since they have been watched too much....so i bought this vhs since they tend to last forever. its definitely a feel-good movie.
Although I am only 30 years old, I appreciated this movie from the time it came out. It is a wonderful view on how I would think the president of the United States should be and act...as a president and as a person. I purchased it because it isn't on TV enough for me through the year. Now I can see it whenever I want to.
This is one of our favorite movies. We would watch it every time it came on TV sometimes starting at the beginning or catching it in the middle. Then I thought I should just buy it so I bought it as a gift for my husband birthday. He was thrilled and we have already watched it together. It is just a keeper.
I have always liked the movie because i have been a history techer for 39 years. Movies like this appeal to me eventhough they are not hitory per se. The miovie was exy=tremely inexpensive and I will be able to see it when i want to.
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