This Film à clef is clearly thinly disguised as a stand in for Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential primary election campaign. Not even the book written by an anonymous author can hide the facts that it's closely mirrors Bill Clinton's attempt to win over the people dismight conflicts such as his affairs, his participation in Vietnam War era protest, and others. Every thing about the film, just about speaks of him, even the actor playing an Southern governor Jack Stanton (John Travolta) who mimics the president southern drawn, and charm. It's hard not to see him in Jack. The movie starts with an idealistic former congressional worker, Henry Burton AKA George Stephanopoulos (Adrian Lester), whom joins the campaign whoms been impressed by Stanton's genuine warmth and empathy with people. He joins Stanton's inner circle of political advisers: Stanton's formidable wife, Susan Stanton AKA Hillary Clinton (Emma Thompson). Emme Thompson plays the shrewdness role well, as a women whom dreams and hope are riding on a man whom does mistake after mistake, nearly derailing his chances to be president. She doesn't mind chewing him out or bailing him. She always doesn't mind the womanizing that takes it's toll on her, as long as she wins in the end. Henry also meets ruthless, redneck political strategist Richard Jemmons AKA James Carville (Billy Bob Thornton) whom character is so unlikeable, it's hurt the film. The character is too mopey, drunk, sexual harasser and indecisive that it doesn't match the entertaining Carville of the documentary "The War Room,". It's not Carville. It's a downer character nobody ask for. Lastly he meets tough, but unbalanced Libby Holden AKA Betsey Wright/ Vince Foster (Kathy Bates.) Kathy Bates gives one of her best performance in this role, as she able to show strong emotion when needed, while also breaking down heart-broken. The film get good when tackles Henry and Libby are forced to seek out information about a rival politician. It's really shows how deep, far and twisted, people will go to dig to make sure their candidate wins while also showing how deeply disillusioned, they can be with the whole political process. Thus is each character tested: Do we do the right thing for the wrong reason, the wrong thing for the right reason? How low do we go? If we go too low, can we ever get back up? Both of them are forced to choose between idealism and realism when looking up and helping out a political contender. Kathy Bates' Libby Holden is the movie's most outstanding character and the one who most stirringly articulates its frustrations about the candidate. The film's single best and most serious scene, arriving in its abruptly melodramatic third act, finds Libby desperately begging the Stantons to assess their campaign ethics. It's heart breaking speech is brilliant. The satire film does a good job following the book's plot. I think Joe Klein would be proud. Oops-- I meant the anonymous author. Much of the charm of the Mike Nichols film is just looking at the array of vivid caricatures actor playing real-life people, but it's lacks to give us a great main character. Henry is a bland, passive presence occupying a good deal of screen time. Adrian Lester is great, but it's doesn't have that George Stephanopoulos charm to him. The boy scout works for a while, he knows Stanton is somewhat a phony since the beginning, but it's doesn't seem to matter to him. So why does the political process makes him disillusioned, if he knew all the long that this might be stressful? He knew what he was putting himself in. I guess he didn't know how much he was willing to take. It suppose to be by the end time, he comes a time when he must make peace with the idea that the purest of causes may be advanced by the most impure of champions, but he knew that before getting in. This is what hurts the film. It's not like Mr. Smith goes to Washington here, he knew in advance, how ugly it is. Does he change it for the better? No. Does he keep his moral ground? No. Henry doesn't learn anything new, but he does get a new job. The movie is slow-pace, funny at times, but hard to watch, cause how depressing it is. It exposes politics for what it is. A ugly, disgusting, game where idealism is crush, disappointment kicks in, and when you come out of it. You feel like you tired of it. That's what happen to the film. It gets tiresome after one watch. It's like the elections. Good for one night every four years.
Review of Primary Colors
