The American President [VHS]

The American President [VHS]
by Rob Reiner

List Price: ~~$9.98~~
Category: VHS Video
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Product details

Actor: Anna Deavere Smith, Annette Bening, Martin Sheen, Michael Douglas, Michael J. Fox
Director: Rob Reiner
Edition: VHS Tape
Audio: English (Original Language), Analog
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, HiFi Sound, NTSC, Original recording reissued
Running Time: 115 minutes
Release Date: 1999-01-12
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Publisher: Turner Home Ent
Studio: Turner Home Ent

VHS Movie Reviews of The American President [VHS]

Movie Review: The American President
Summary: 5 Stars

How does the widowed leader of the free world balance his many obligations to his country with the ordinary demands and everyday rites of courtship? When President Andrew Shepherd, quite unexpectedly, falls in love with Sydney Wade, an environmental lobbyist, he must overcome obstacles not faced by average citizens; he must worry that the public's right to know will collide with the desire for personal privacy. He must contend with approval ratings, an inquiring press and an aggressive political opponent just to go on a date. The President's advisors, chief of staff, domestic policy advisor, White House pollster and press secretary help him get through his busy schedule, deal with demands of congress and quell any global predicaments. But political crises are different than personal ones and somehow the American President alone must find a way to balance his love for his country with his love for an incredible woman. Michael and Annette are a perfect match in this movie. Enjoy this excellent movie.

Movie Review: Lefties on Romantic Parade
Summary: 2 Stars

Can't image there's a lefty who doesn't love this movie. I can only watch about the first 40 minutes, and even then, Fox's character is a bit over-bearing about hand gun control, which is another lefty talking point. Then it gets into the assasination of Dreyfuss's character (they probably had to pay him a bonus to play Republican), legitimizing the global warming lobby, actually defending the ACLU, and showing tainted sleazy back room/closed door Republican secrecy (much like the Reid/Pelosi sleazy back room/closed door health care secret meetings of today). Don't know how I would have rewritten the final hour to make more palatible but then Sorkin/Reiner wouldn't have had their final version any other way. If they remade the movie today, no doubt they'd be defending ACORN as well, wasting trillions of our children's future on their version of health care, polluting the air space as thousands of lefties fly on their private jets to Copenhagen (much as Pelosi and her entourage have on the tax payers), and of course they'd cast Will Smith as the Andrew Shepard character (renamed Abdul Shepard). Watch it, but keep in mind it's been created by two of Hollywood's leading far left pin heads. For romantic comedy, it's diverting.. for political statement, it's lefty predictable.

Movie Review: President
Summary: 5 Stars

Wonderful movie, great casting, and very well done story line. A must have video.

Movie Review: Revenge of the Leftists
Summary: 2 Stars

...should have been the title of this flick. Michael Douglas is a very fine actor, and the scriptwriters are happy to provide us with standard Hollywierd fare. Here we have an incredibly cool, Leftist President with a gorgeous girlfriend and an impossibly cute daughter, fighting off all of those evil conservatives. Basically, this movie is Hollywood's ecstatic dream of a Leftist president of a Leftist America getting acclaim for declaring that he is a "...card-carrying member of the ACLU...!" Ohhh Kaayyy....

If the script could have avoided gagging the viewer with a high-pressure liberal rant, this could have been a charming movie about a handsome cool widower President and a gorgeous and charming girfriend. That alone would have, or at least could have, have made for decent entertainment. But no, we simply have to take our medicine in the form of 200 proof Leftist bias, and unfortunately many of us just cannot choke it down.

If you don't mind the bias, there is a decent (not great) movie in here somewhere. Good luck finding it. RJB.

Movie Review: Great movie!
Summary: 4 Stars

I love this movie - great acting, great story. So glad to get it so cheap on Amazon.

Write your own review

Summary of The American President [VHS]

What sounds like a high-concept romantic comedy pitch from hell--widower president falls for smart lobbyist while the world watches--is actually intelligent, charming, touching, and quite funny. Granted, it's wish fulfillment all the way (when was the last time you saw a president who was truly presidential?), but in the capable hands of writer Aaron Sorkin (TV's Sports Night) and director Rob Reiner, The American President is incredibly enjoyable entertainment with quite a few ideas about both romance and the government. Michael Douglas stars as the president, who after three years in office starts thinking about the possibility of dating. When he auspiciously encounters cutthroat environmental lobbyist Sydney Ellen Wade (Annette Bening), sparks begin to crackle and the two begin a tentative but heartfelt romance. Of course, his job gets in the way--their first kiss is interrupted by a Libyan bombing--but darn it if these two kids aren't going to try and make it work! However, they hadn't counted on the president's Republican antagonist (Richard Dreyfuss), who starts carping about family values. The predictable plot--Douglas finally goes to bat for his lady and his country--is leavened by Sorkin's wonderful, snappy dialogue and a light touch from the usually subtle-as-a-sledgehammer Reiner. Both manage to create a believable White House-office atmosphere (with a crack staff including Martin Sheen, Michael J. Fox, Anna Deavere Smith, and Samantha Mathis) as well as a plausible and funny dating scenario. The true success of the movie, though, rides squarely on Douglas and Bening; this is unequivocally Douglas's best comedic performance (ergo his best performance, period) and Bening, usually such a good bad girl, takes a standard career-woman role and fleshes it out magnificently. You can see in an instant why Douglas would fall for her. One of the best unsung romantic comedies of the '90s. --Mark Englehart

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