One Score and Five Years Ago: Revisiting "The American President" at 25
Wednesday, November 18, 2020 at 1:00PM by Josh Bierman
As we are only 62 days away from a new, brighter era in the White House, now is the perfect time to revisit the Rob Reiner/Aaron Sorkin classic, The American President which is celebrating its 25th birthday this week. Back when it was released, Joe Biden was still a senator from Delaware and Tronald Dump had declared a loss of $915.7 million on his tax returns. I don’t want to make this piece a reflection on the Dump years through the lens of The American President, but as we’ve found in the years since Dump took that fateful ride down a golden escalator, it’s hard to avoid him when watching something overtly political. Or is that just me?
Let’s take it back a little bit. If you haven’t seen The American President since Hillary was just a First Lady, allow me to give a refresher. President Andrew Shepherd (Michael Douglas) is in his first term with high approval ratings, poised to cruise to a reelection victory. Enter Sydney Ellen Wade (Annette Bening), an environmental lobbyist, who catches the widowed president’s eye. But the president’s popularity and reelection chances begin to wane due to their courtship...
One’s enjoyment of this movie likely comes down to whether one likes Aaron Sorkin or not. If you do, you’re in luck! It features everything you love about him: rousing speeches that pander to our liberal sensibilities, obnoxiously clever repartee, and pop culture references from a bygone era. If you don’t, you’re screwed! It features everything you hate about him: rousing speeches that pander to our liberal sensibilities, obnoxiously clever repartee, and pop culture references from a bygone era.
For the most part, I love Aaron Sorkin’s writing, but I’m well aware that there are people who’ve become less charmed by it. I have those moments myself. Look no further than his latest effort on Netflix, The Trial of the Chicago 7. I was not familiar with the history and I was so taken by the explosiveness of the story, particularly the ending. After I watched I found out, that’s not how the trial ended or how much of it went down. That may be my fault for not being as educated about certain parts of American history, but I felt a little duped. I’m confident Sorkin can write a compelling story without appealing to my liberal fantasies, particularly when recounting true events. In fact, it might be a welcome challenge for him. But twenty five years ago was a different time for Sorkin. This was only his third screenplay and his first foray into the politics of the presidency (as well as his first and only romantic comedy). This is essentially a long form pilot for The West Wing, right down to the Martin Sheen of it all. There was still something fresh about his style. Twenty five years later, I think it still feels fresh for the very reason why many of us are drawn to Sorkin in the first place. He’s giving us exactly what we want to hear. It’s hard imagining any of what occurs in this movie happening in the White House we’ve known for the last four years. Do we think anyone in that house would be able to correctly use the term “Capra-esque?” the very description Sydney uses to describe the first time she visits 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue?
There is nothing Capra-esque about the current White House, it’s positively Craven-esque. The idea that the White House can be a place where romance is born and where culture and intellect thrive makes this movie more comforting than it’s ever been. It is truly a liberal’s wet dream. And after these four years and the 2020 we’ve had, we’ve earned a little pleasure!
And what a pleasure it is. I may be biased as this is an all timer for me in the romantic comedy hall of fame. It is endlessly romantic. Michael Douglas is doing some of his best work here, if not his best. There’s a thoughtfulness to his performance that I don’t normally associate with him, particularly in his scenes with his chief of staff and best friend, Martin Sheen. His final speech in the press room is riveting. The confluence of Sorkin’s writing, Douglas’s performance, and Reiner’s choice to have Douglas give much of the speech directly to camera is thrilling. It’s what we want in a romantic comedy. It is a Bold Gesture that makes us cheer and brings us to the ending we wanted since our protagonists first encounter. It earns its place in the pantheon of perfect rom-com endings.
No surprise to the actressexuals reading, but Annette Bening is doing her usual god-tier work. From the moment we see her, we know Michael Douglas is going to fall head over heels. She’s tenacious, quick-witted, and sexy. The two of them play so well off of each other, even when talking on the phone with each other.
The American President features my favorite romantic movie moment. President Shepherd invites Sydney to be his date to the State Dinner for the French president. Shepherd asks Sydney to dance, leading her to the floor. As the band plays a gorgeous arrangement of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “I Have Dreamed” from the The King and I (Marc Shaiman wrote the rest of the lovely, Oscar nominated score). Sydney says” 200 pairs of eyes are focused on you with two questions: who is this girl and why is the president dancing with her?” To which Shepherd responds: “Well first of all, the 200 pairs of eyes are not focused on me, they’re focused on you. And the answers are Sydney Ellen Wade and because she said, ‘yes.’” I swoon every time and I’m sure I still will when this movie turns 50 in Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s America.
Will you be rewatching The American President? Aren't we due for another Sorkin rom-com?
Reader Comments (10)
For my money, it's Sorkin's best work ever - and deserved a plethora of Oscar noms.
An old fashioned charmer they just don't make anymore.
A Grown Ups movie, and a wonderful one at that. Charming and sophisticated. Oscar should have noticed it more.
Love the film. So engaging -- you don't get 'movie stars' like this anymore!! Always stop to watch when I see its on.
Yes greydog what happened to Movie Stars there are so few now whom every generation knows.
It is a pretty good film yet it's the last film that Rob Reiner ever made that is watchable. The stench of North that came out the year before would permeate into the films he would do after The American President. Every film he did since were shit and unwatchable.
The tense scene between Douglas and Michael J. Fox has probably aged the best in terms of predicting the mindset of the American public in 21st century. "They don't drink the sand because they're thirsty. They drink the sand because they don't know the difference."
A great film, despite being so bland.
I love Michael Douglas in The American President, but the best Michael Douglas is in Wonder Boys.
Hermosa película, una pareja divina!!!
Me encanta la delicadeza y elegancia de ambos, soy de Argentina he visto la película por tv, pero decidí adquirirla para poder verla y disfrutarla cuando quiera!!!!
Impecables, diálogos y escenas.!!!!
Felicitaciones!!!