Bulworth

Starring: Warren Beatty, Halle Berry, Oliver Platt, Don Cheadle, Sean Astin, Christine Baranski, Michael Clarke Duncan, Laurie Metcalf, James Pickens Jr., Sarah Silverman, Paul Sorvino, Isaiah Washington, William Baldwin (uncredited)
Directed by: Warren Beatty
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy, Drama
1998

Times Seen:
Tim: 2

Summary: A politician (Warren Beatty) takes a contract out on his life and uses his little remaining time to speak the truth about politics and American. His unorthodox approach offends many, but he starts to gain advocates.

Review:

Tim: I know that Bulworth was very well received by critics and even received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. I'm actually a bit surprised by all that. Certainly, the film has some charms, but it ultimately felt too pedestrian to me. It's a decent effort, but I'm always surprised when I hear people praise this film. I don't see what all the fuss is about. It's a decent effort, but there are far, far better political films out there.

The main charm of the film comes from the joy of seeing a politician with nothing to lose, speaking his mind. That is indeed refreshing to see, although it comes in a fictional film. Politicians are always so buttoned up and politically correct. There is something gleeful about watching those walls come down. Now, that being said, the film takes this to fairly ridiculous lengths. It's played up for laughs, but the attempt at humor sacrifices believability. The idea of Bulworth speaking in rhymes as a way to connect with the inner city demographic may be humorous, but it's very unbelievable. It actually makes Warren Beatty look a little silly. There's a number of instances of this happening in the film- the attempt to embrace the comedic aspects pushes the film past the point where we believe what is happened on screen. That undermines the story's credibility. Ultimately, it's hard to take anything serious here. That might be okay if this was a pure comedy, but the dramatic elements are equally important. This isn't just supposed to be a funny movie- it's trying to make a statement about politics and politicians in America. It's ability to deliver the critical jab is hampered by those weaker aspects of the story.

I give Warren Beatty credit for his performance as Jay Bulworth. I've never been a huge Beatty guy, but his performance is really solid. Even when I cringed during his rhyming/rapping, I still marveled at how committed he was to the role. Beatty wrote, directed, and starred in this film. I think his acting was the big strength, then directing, and finally, writing. Still, his performance is one of the better aspects of the film. Halle Berry is good, too. She doesn't quite make the impact she needed to, given the amount of screen time she has. She has a few great scenes that make up for some of the less effective moments. Still, overall, she's solid in this role. She worked well opposite Beatty. Don Cheadle was fun to see in a small role. Oliver Platt adds a very strong supporting performance. He added levity without seeming cartoonish. I thought his performance was very strong.

One other aspect of the film that is very effective is the soundtrack. The highlight has to be "Ghetto Superstar" by Pras, featuring ODB and Mya. It's really a great song and I remember constantly hearing it on the radio in 1998. That does contribute to the film.

While I didn't think Bulworth was quite the success many people believe it to be, I acknowledge that it's at least a decent effort and it does have its strengths. I can't say I especially enjoyed the movie either time I watched it (and it actually feels too long at 1 hour, 48 minutes). It's fine, but it's certainly not a film I'll watch for a third time.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 6.5



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