The American President (1995)

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What if a widowed U.S. president started dating again during an election year? This question is the premise for director Rob Reiner (Stand By Me, Misery) and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network, Moneyball) in The American President. Michael Douglas stars as the leader of the free world, who begins seeing an environmental protection lobbyist played by Annette Bening. While the relationship is perfectly harmless, the opposition party pounces on the opportunity to attack the president’s character. When poll numbers begin to drop, will their relationship survive?

In lesser hands, this kind of romantic comedy would be unwatchable. But Douglas and Bening are charming and funny enough to sell the schmaltzy parts. The funniest parts of the movie are when the president tries to do average, everyday things — like buy flowers for his girlfriend, when his personal credit cards are in storage and he can’t walk into a florist without the secret service first making a security sweep.

Where the movie really shines is in the political subplots involving crime, gun control, environmentalism, and dirty campaign tactics. This is where Reiner’s wonderful supporting ensemble and Sorkin’s witty banter take center stage. Michael J. Fox plays the president’s antagonistic speech writer, Anna Deavere Smith is the press secretary, and Martin Sheen is the president’s long-time friend and chief of staff. These parts of the movie are so successful, that Sorkin, Sheen, and Smith would reunite years later on television for the very similarly themed The West Wing. Composer Marc Shaiman deserves special mention for one of the warmest, most patriotic scores ever written for the screen. With Samantha Mathis, David Paymer, John Mahoney, Wendie Malick, and Richard Dreyfuss.

Oscar Nomination: Best Score (Marc Shaiman)