Review: Primary Colors (1998)

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Primary Colors

Rating

Director

Mike Nichols

Screenplay

Elaine May (Novel: Anonymous (Joe Klein))

Length

2h 23m

Starring

John Travolta, Emma Thompson, Billy Bob Thornton, Kathy Bates, Adrian Lester, Maura Tierney, Larry Hagman, Diane Ladd, Paul Guilfoyle

MPAA Rating

Basic Plot

Primary Colors is based on the novel of the same name by Anonymous. It goes behind the scense of President Bill Clinton’s road to the white house.

Review

Primary Colors isn’t a movie that seeks to destroy one of our history’s most discussed and successful presidents. Instead it focuses on his ability to take the smallest idea and craft it into something that everyone feels compelled to speak up for or against.

Considered a rival to many of our “Great Communicators” in history, Jack Stanton (the altered name given by anonymous) is portrayed with startling accuracy by John Travolta. His words drip from his tongue and leave you emotionally charged. He’s not just a politician, he’s a human being.

Emma Thompson is Susan Stanton, a less than impressive facsimile of Hillary. She bares little less than a passing resemblance to the First Lady, but effectively drops her British accent.

The story is told through the eyes of a young political adjutant, Henry Burton (Adrian Lester). His wide-eyed view of how politics works changes through the course of the film. He realises that politics isn’t a play nice arena and candidates often have the most startling backgrounds.

Libby Holden (Kathy Bates), however, is the most vivid and expressive characters in the film. She’s a tough-as-nails lesbian dirt-digger that Stanton uses to find out the deepest darkest secrets of his political foes despite her admittance previously into a mental institution. She follows easily through every scene, kicking ass and trouncing her judgments of people she called friends.

The film makes a good pseudo-documentary and presents several ideas that should be considered when looking at the presidency of the man everyone feels cheats on his wife, but can still effectively run the country.

Awards Prospects

Kathy Bates looks assured a Supporting Actress nomination. John Travolta could easily get a lead actor nod as well. The film, if very little else palpable comes out, could find itself in Picture, Director and Screenplay nominations.