‘The American President’ (1995) Review

The American President Synopsis: A widowed U.S. President running for reelection and an environmental lobbyist fall in love. It’s all above-board, but “politics is perception,” and sparks fly anyway.

President Andrew Shepherd, widowed and raising a daughter, finds himself in the midst of a re-election campaign. His life takes a turn when he meets Sydney Ellen Wade (Annette Bening), an environmental lobbyist. As President Shepherd navigates the challenges of his political career, a romantic relationship begins to blossom between him and Sydney.

Shepherd faces scrutiny and political challenges as his romance with Sydney becomes public, leading to debates and controversies. The story delves into the sacrifices and compromises that come with being the President of the United States.

An interesting combination of romantic comedy and political drama, The American President really thrives on the chemistry between Michael Douglas and Annette Bening. Aaron Sorkin’s script is precisely as you would imagine it to be. Fast-paced and full of sharp, witty dialogue, but Rob Reiner’s direction gives The American President some much-needed softness and charm.

The American President was released in 1995, but the issues Shepherd and Sydney are both dealing with are still very relevant today. Sydney is trying to pass a vital fuel bill to help climate change, and Andrew is working on passing a crime bill that deals with gun control. The two must learn to balance their personal relationship with the judgmental eye of the media and political opponents while also recognizing their professional differences.

Michael Douglas plays Shepherd with impressive confidence, except when he’s trying to handle personal matters on his own. Watching him try to send flowers to Sydney on his own rather than having his assistant take care of it provides one of many humorous moments that humanize the President.

Annette Bening is as charming as ever and simply radiant on screen. She’s the whole package, giggly and blushing when Shepherd calls to ask her to dinner but also sharp and intelligent, never hesitating to stand up for what she believes in, even if it means dressing the POTUS down. The chemistry between Bening and Douglas has a sincerity to it that makes you want to see Sydney and Andrew succeed, despite their conflicting priorities.

The supporting cast is phenomenal, notably Michael J. Fox and Martin Sheen. You can see in Sheen’s performance why he was the perfect person for Sorkin to choose as President Bartlett in The West Wing. Richard Dreyfuss is the ideal foil for Douglas’s President. Smarmy and willing to resort to character assassination and innuendo if it means dinging Shepherd’s approval ratings. I’m sure he had plenty of real-life political inspiration to pull from.

The political plot adds plenty of drama and believable conflict between Shepherd and Sydney. It’s undoubtedly clever enough that you very nearly forget that An American President is a romantic comedy. It’s just one of the few that has actual depth. I enjoyed watching this over the weekend. It holds up, both in quality and in its message.

Watched: 05/09/2020
Notable Song: It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas