Andrew Shepard (Michael Douglas) is a Clintonesque head of state with a few administrative crises: a) it's an election year, b) he's a widower who has suddenly developed the hots for an environmental lobbyist (Annette Bening), and c) he's facing a mudslinging bulldog of an opponent (Richard Dreyfuss, whose name doesn't appear on the promotional materials). All of these issues pale, however, beside the really loose planks in the platform: sugary writing, hammy acting, tediously predictable plotting, and--a common failing in government circles--a major underestimate of the audience's intelligence. Sure to be popular, this is still an optional candidate for purchase. (R. Pitman)
American President
(Columbia TriStar, 114 min., PG-13, avail. May 14) Vol. 11, Issue 3
American President
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: