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THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT – Marc Shaiman
THROWBACK THIRTY
Original Review by Jonathan Broxton
Looking back now, considering where we are today in terms of what the American political landscape has become over the past decade, it seems almost unbelievably naïve and quaint to think that, in the 1990s, people were still making films about US presidents who were good, upstanding people who cared about their jobs and the electorate that voted for them. The American President is one of those films; written by Aaron Sorkin and directed by Rob Reiner, the film is a romantic drama set in the White House. Michael Douglas plays President Andrew Shepherd, a widower nearing the end of his first term. He is well-liked, pragmatic, and politically savvy, but cautious about jeopardizing his public image. Things change when Shepherd becomes romantically involved with Sydney Wade (Annette Bening), an environmental lobbyist who comes to Washington to push for a bold emissions-reduction bill. Their relationship quickly becomes serious, but because it unfolds under intense media scrutiny, it also becomes a political liability. As Shepherd’s approval ratings fall, his opponents – especially conservative senator Bob Rumson (Richard Dreyfuss) – exploit the situation, framing the relationship as unpresidential. Shepherd initially tries to keep politics and romance separate, hoping the story will fizzle out, but before long public pressure forces him to choose between maintaining power and standing up for the values he claims to represent. Read more…
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