The American President (DVD)

Description: Genre: Romance / Theatrical Release: 1995 / Director: Rob Reiner / Actors: Michael Douglas, Annette Bening ... / DVD ... more

The American President (DVD) ... released 31 August, 1999 at Warner Home Video / Features of the DVD: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Colour, Dolby, DVD-Video, Letterboxed, Widescreen, NTSC / 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 fulfilment 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, TheAmerican 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

Newest Review: ... haven't changed much!) The President of France is due to visit the United States, but the President's planned date for the ... more

... event (his cousin - of course) is unwell. After their first meeting the President invites Sydney, via telephone with the expected misundertanding and disbelief, to be his date for the event. The President also makes a deal with Sydney - if she can secure 24 votes for the environmental bill he will get the remaining 10 - he fully expects her to fail and leave him looking good for having tried to pass the bill. And so the scene is set for the film to examine how a public President can have a private romance, the ef...more

Price Comparison for The American President (DVD)

	The American President Use voucher code SHOPPING5 before finalising your purchase and ge ... Last Update 25.12.2009 05:45	£ 14.73	£ 0.00 In Stock
	The Making Of An Asian-American President Use voucher code SHOPPING5 before finalising your purchase and ge ... Last Update 25.12.2009 05:45	£ 6.12	£ 0.00 In Stock
	The Making Of An Asian-American President Use voucher code SHOPPING5 before finalising your purchase and ge ... Last Update 25.12.2009 05:45	£ 6.12	£ 0.00 In Stock
	The Making Of An Asian-American President Use voucher code SHOPPING5 before finalising your purchase and ge ... Last Update 25.12.2009 05:45	£ 6.12	£ 0.00 In Stock
	The Making Of An Asian-American President Use voucher code SHOPPING5 before finalising your purchase and ge ... Last Update 25.12.2009 05:45	£ 6.12	£ 0.00 In Stock
	The Making Of An Asian-American President Use voucher code SHOPPING5 before finalising your purchase and ge ... Last Update 25.12.2009 05:45	£ 6.12	£ 0.00 In Stock
	The Making Of An Asian-American President Use voucher code SHOPPING5 before finalising your purchase and ge ... Last Update 25.12.2009 05:45	£ 6.12	£ 0.00 In Stock
Display all 77 offers

Read Reviews for The American President (DVD)

The American President (DVD): Predictable and slow (97 words)
by - written on 23/07/00 (Very useful, 18 readings)
Rating:

This is a clever romantic comedy based on the “American President tries to act like the boy next door” scenario. It’s quite a good story, although totally predictable, and if you like Micheal Douglas then you will probably enjoy this film. It’s well acted and both Annette Benning and Douglas command your sympathy for their plight. However, it’s very slow and middle-of-the-road. It’s suitable for all and should probably only be watched on a rainy Sunday afternoon when you really don’t have anything better to do. ... Read the complete review

The President's got a girlfriend. (480 words)
by - written on 20/07/09 (Very useful, 59 readings)
Rating:

If you like gentle romantic comedies then you'll undoubtedly enjoy this classic tale of boy meets girl but boy is President of the United States. Michael Douglas stars as Andrew Shepard the widowed president of the United States, with a well adjusted daughter and a high popularity rating. His big plan for re-election is to get a pretty weak, and mostly unsupported by the other politicians, gun control bill through congress. Annette Benning is Sydney Ellen Wade a lobbyist hired to get the necessary support for a CO2 reduction bill. (Considering this was released in 1995 it appears significant political issues haven't changed much!) The President of France ... Read the complete review

The American President (DVD): I liked it so much i bought it (94 words)
by - written on 27/07/00 (Very useful, 13 readings)
Rating:

I went to see this film at the cinema when it first came out and loved it. When it came out on video we hired it and then we bought it. All I knew about Annette Benning before this was she was married to warren Beatty and Michael Douglas was most famous to me for Fatal Attraction. This is a very different role for them both and I would go so far as to call it a classic romance. This is one I could watch again and again. ... Read the complete review

Imagine Tony Blair on the pull! (208 words)
by - written on 17/08/00 (Very useful, 36 readings)
Rating:

The American President is a cheery tale of the President of the United States, a widower played by Michael Douglas, falling in love in front of the whole world, and his young daughter. Annette Benning plays his love interest, a journalist. It is unfortunate that this view of a President wooing a woman in a steady romantic manner was released during Bill Clintons 'reign'. The movie tries to re-install the American publics' love for the office of Presidency. The plot covers their meeting and centres on their attempts to keep the relationship under wraps whilst trying to discover whether they have a future. The usual running around, hiding ... Read the complete review

The American President (DVD): Close, but no cigar (213 words)
by - written on 24/08/00 (Useful, 11 readings)
Rating:

A film that ought to have come with a small advert saying 'Re-elect Bill Clinton'. This was released in the winter of 1995, just as Bill Clinton was entering his tussle with Bob Dole, and it depicts a lovely cuddly Democrat president, and marvels at his lovely cuddliness. An actor frequently marginalised as a harassed yuppie with an overheating sex drive, Michael Douglas is a remarkably nice Prez, an honourable widower with a so nice teenage daughter and a lot of love to give. Oh, and he also wants to ban guns (obvious subtext - nice people want to ban guns). It's easy to dismiss this film as simply being Clinton's mates ganging up to get him ... Read the complete review

Read 9 reviews

Write a review

More Member Reviews

The American President (DVD) : Imagine Tony Blair on the pull!
from gollygumdrops
17/08/2000

The American President (DVD) : Close, but no cigar
from moronboy
24/08/2000