Alexander Wallop

Although it plays right into the genre and does so many things right, I think The American President’s main fault is in its writing. I normally love Sorkin but the script is clunky and obvious in a manner Sorkin normally avoids. This is, however, mostly counterbalanced by its delightful wit which is written in typical Sorkin fashion. It holds close parallels to Notting hill, which it admittedly precedes, and combines the charm of Hugh grant and Julia Roberts relationship in Notting Hill with the high tempo of the West wing . The dynamic between the two main characters, however, is entirely reversed which gives it a different and I must say slightly less appealing charm. There is no point in the film where you truly believe all hope is lost, the relationship doesn’t seem unfathomable at times, it seems very believable from the get go. A great film would let this unravel as we see the characters for who they are and we grow to believe in their love. Julia Roberts line, “I’m just a girl standing in front of a guy telling him to love her” would not look out of place in this film but only if you removed the desperation from it. Micheal Douglas never seems to feel he can’t have Annette bening and those scenes of self loathing after her departure are nowhere to be seen. Micheal Douglases concluding speech is somewhat heartfelt and ties the whole film into a neat bow but this is all, it seems, that was needed for Annette Bening to come racing back. There was no real struggle in their romance which is what this film is missing most.

Charlie Kaufman doesn’t fail to baffle with this incredibly surreal story. It doesn’t quite compare to the magnificence of his screenplay for ‘eternal sunshine of the spotless mind’ but it comes close. For some it may be too weird but for those who can appreciate it, it’s a masterpiece.