The worst kind of movie, really. Not good or likeable, and yet not bad in any interesting way. If I were to define cinematic idempotency- a movie that makes absolutely no impression on the viewer- I guess I would use "Primary Colors" to do so.
The film's meant to be a satire of presidential politics and yet it so closely shadows actual events that what happens is never exciting, arousing, or new. Maybe that'd be OK if some of the characters were compelling but none of them are. Blame it on the book, then, I guess. Joe Klein didn't develop characters there so much as founts for his own wisdom, why is why everyone here seems to talk the same way. Everyone, that is, except Libby, who talks the same way but with more exclamation points and expletives than any other character. I'm glad Oscar did not see fit to award her screechy, wheel-spinning performance with a statuette. That's two (along with Best Picture) it really got right this year.
The film's meant to be a satire of presidential politics and yet it so closely shadows actual events that what happens is never exciting, arousing, or new. Maybe that'd be OK if some of the characters were compelling but none of them are. Blame it on the book, then, I guess. Joe Klein didn't develop characters there so much as founts for his own wisdom, why is why everyone here seems to talk the same way. Everyone, that is, except Libby, who talks the same way but with more exclamation points and expletives than any other character. I'm glad Oscar did not see fit to award her screechy, wheel-spinning performance with a statuette. That's two (along with Best Picture) it really got right this year.