The American President [Blu-ray]

Director: Rob Reiner Rob Reiner

Overview

With his moderately liberal political stance, impeccable professional and personal life, intelligence, humanity, and sensitivity, President Andrew Shepherd has become America's most popular Commander in Chief. But then the widowed leader falls in love. This romantic comedy chronicles his travails as he and his new lady friend try to build a relationship amidst the clamor of the press and the moral indignation of his Republican opponents. Shepherd meets her while working very hard on pushing through a crime and environmental bill. Personally, he also spends time with his teenage daughter. His life dramatically changes when he encounters Sydney Ellen Wade, a dedicated, feisty, pro-environment lobbyist. Totally smitten, he invites her to join him at a state dinner. Surprised, she accepts and soon finds herself grist for the Washington gossip mill. They tentatively begin dating and poor Ellen is alternately confused, embarrassed and tickled pink. Things progress slowly, but inevitably the two end up bedded down in the Presidential boudoir. With an army of gossip-hungry reporters camped outside waiting to see Ellen, and Shepherd's political rival, ultra-conservative presidential hopeful Sen. Bob Rumson hovering about looking for fodder to launch a smear campaign against the popular incumbent, the lovers' initial happiness looks as if it may be fleeting.

Product Details

Release Date:	09/25/2012
UPC:	0883929251155
Original Release:	1995
Rating:	PG-13
Source:	Warner Home Video
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Mono, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:53:00
Sales rank:	18,795

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Michael Douglas	Andrew Shepherd
Annette Bening	Sydney Ellen Wade
Martin Sheen	A.J. MacInerney
Michael J. Fox	Lewis Rothschild
David Paymer	Leon Kodak
Samantha Mathis	Janie Basdin
Richard Dreyfuss	Sen. Robert Rumson
Anna Deavere Smith	Robin McCall
Shawna Waldron	Lucy Shepherd
Anne Haney	Mrs. Chapil
Nina Siemaszko	Beth Wade
Wendie Malick	Susan Sloan
Beau Billingslea	Agent Cooper
Gail Strickland	Esther MacInerney
Joshua Malina	David
Clement Von Franckenstein	President D'Astier
Efrat Lavie	Madame D'Astier
John Mahoney	Leo Solomon
Taylor Nichols	Stu
John Mahon	Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
Tom Dahlgren	Defense Secretary
Ralph Meyering Jr.	General
Kurt A. Boesen	Security Advisor,Security Advisor
Joseph Latimore	Secret Service Agent
Darryl Alan Reed	Secret Service Agent
Andrew Steel	Secret Service Agent
Jordan Lund	Carl
Steve Gonzales	Hud Secretary
Frank Cavestani	Rumson Staffer
Richard Stahl	Rumson Staffer
Alice Kushida	Carol
Mathew Saks	Congressional Staffer,Congressional Staffer
Renee Phillips	Lisa
Beans Morocco	Doorkeeper
Kathryn Ish	Education Secretary
Kamilah Martin	Flower Girl
Augie Blunt	Groundskeeper
Leslie Bega	White House Staffer Laura,White House Staffer Laura
Thom Barry	Guard
Steven Gonzalez	Hud Secretary
Gabriel Jarret	Jeff
Karen Maruyama	Leo's Secretary
Nancy Kandal	Leslie
George Murdock	Congressman
Bernie McInerney	Congressman Millman
Jack Gilroy	Congressman Pennybaker
Googy Gress	Gil
Ron Canada	Reporter Lloyd
Brian Pietro	Reporter
Rick Garcia	Reporter
Aaron Sorkin	Aide in Bar
Kymberly S. Newberry	Sally
Greg Poland	Mark
Jennifer Crystal	White House Staffer Maria
Arthur Senzy	Deputy
Nick Toth	White House Aide
Jorge Noa	White House Aide
Maud Winchester	White House Aide
Jeffrey Anderson	TV News Anchorman
Suzanne Michaels	TV News Anchorwoman
Mark Thompson	Kenneth Michaels
David Drew Gallagher	New Guy
Todd Odom	Uniformed Secret Service Agent
Michael G. Alexander	Color Guard Officer
Richard McGonagle	Rumson Staffer
Marc Shaiman	Composer
Roger Steffens	Actor
Mark Norris	Actor
Michael J.	Actor
Renee Faia	Lisa

Technical Credits

Aaron Sorkin

John Seale

Rob Reiner	Director,Producer
Aaron Sorkin	Screenwriter
Janet Hirshenson	Casting
Jane Jenkins	Casting
Charles Newirth	Executive Producer,Producer
Clay Pinney	Special Effects
Ken Ralston	Special Effects
Jeffrey Stott	Executive Producer,Producer,Director
George Baetz	Sound Effects
Hans Metz	Special Effects
John Seale	Screenwriter

Editorial Reviews

With the same writer, principal cast members (Martin Sheen, at least), and White House milieu, The American President might now be considered Aaron Sorkin's blueprint for his hit TV show The West Wing. Both share the same cheery liberal politics, portraying a near-perfect president fending off his dirty conservative opponents while staying out of the gutter himself. Michael Douglas shines in the title role, showing he really can be loveable after the better part of a decade playing greedy capitalists and scuzzy detectives. But he's just a little too wonderful, with the perfect comment for any situation, for the film to seem like a nuanced character study. Similarly spotless is Annette Bening as his lobbyist girlfriend, whose combination of attack-dog confidence and starry-eyed romanticism make for the complete image of a modern woman, so self-actualized that even the president's teenage daughter loves her at first meeting. It's difficult to believe that dating such a woman would cause the beloved widower's approval rating to drop 20 points, especially in this day and age. These extremes get at the underlying problem of what is otherwise a smart, engaging, and enjoyable film -- it's too afraid to show any chinks in the armor of its good guys, which turns the villains (like Richard Dreyfuss's cackling fear-monger) into similarly one-dimensional symbols. But these sins can be forgiven, because it's great fun to get a realistic look at the behind-the-scenes life of a president, so unwittingly removed from the regular-guy things he loves that he can't even order flowers for his girlfriend without sending it through a committee. This inspires a string of funny moments that propel the film, making it a delightful movie-going experience -- at least for those who agree with its politics.