Primary Colors (1998)

There is something quite worrying about this depiction of an American Presidential nomination campaign - it is plausible... John Travolta ("Jack Stanton") positively oozes charisma - in all it's guises - as he schmoozes, charms, cheats and lies his way through a campaign that simultaneously sees him pat babies on their heads whilst stealing their lollipops... Adrian Lester is the enthusiastic, but naive, campaign manager who together with a feisty Kathy Bates is charged with getting their man into the final race with Emma Thompson as the supportive wife who has to tolerate all that the campaign - and her husband's obvious peccadillos - throw at them. The delivery is fast-paced, witty and authentic; the performances - especially the loyal but principled Bates - really reinforce the ultimate message that Joe Klein's story is trying to convey; and Mike Nicholls manages to keep the whole thing from becoming too overtly Clinton-esque! Adrian Lester is a little out of his depth, though, Emma Thompson isn't on her best form either and though it is nice to see old "J.R" on the screen again, Larry Hagman as a senator in the right place at the right time but with more skeletons in his closet than Roger Corman, doesn't really cut it either. It's also far too long, and struggles when Travolta is away from the action... Certainly entertaining, though...