All the King's Men (2006)
I’ve never seen the original 1949 film, so the 2006 remake of All the King’s Men is my only reference for the story. And while I watched the film in its entirety, if pressed, I wouldn’t be able to give you a very detailed plot synopsis. To be blunt, it’s pretty boring, and none of the characters motivate you to pay close attention.
Sean Penn is an over-the-top Southern politician with dreams of grandeur. I’ve never found him to be very trustworthy in his roles anyway, so it’s not a stretch to believe he manipulates and panders to his audiences and those in his close circle, while hiding his ulterior motives. In tow are journalist Jude Law, girlfriend Patricia Clarkson, and political crony James Gandolfini. James seemed to be on a constant verge of cracking up, Patricia seemed miscast, and Kate Winslet, who got on the promotional poster, has an infinitely smaller part than her counterparts. I don’t know why she was cast either, since her role consisted of very little acting, except maybe she, her publicist, or the studio were drawn to cast her for one scene of partial nudity. The big scene in the film—Sean Penn is making a political speech and no one is listening to him, so he lays on the heavy religious rhetoric and shouts and gains everyone’s attention and support—felt extremely forced and uncompelling. How can the audience get excited about Sean’s big scene when it feels like it was the fortieth take and everyone was tired and knew what to expect?
While James Horner’s theme was supposed to sound ominous, all I heard were the similarities to Hans Zimmer’s music in Green Card, which had an entirely different meaning. All the King’s Men isn’t a movie I wish I’d never seen, but it was very forgettable and hardly the money that went into it. A Face in the Crowd, a different story but with similar themes, is an infinitely superior film.
DLM warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. In the first and last scenes, the camera spins in a continuous circle, and it might make you sick. In other words, “Don’t Look, Mom!”
More Jude Law movies here!
More Kate Winslet movies here!
Sean Penn is an over-the-top Southern politician with dreams of grandeur. I’ve never found him to be very trustworthy in his roles anyway, so it’s not a stretch to believe he manipulates and panders to his audiences and those in his close circle, while hiding his ulterior motives. In tow are journalist Jude Law, girlfriend Patricia Clarkson, and political crony James Gandolfini. James seemed to be on a constant verge of cracking up, Patricia seemed miscast, and Kate Winslet, who got on the promotional poster, has an infinitely smaller part than her counterparts. I don’t know why she was cast either, since her role consisted of very little acting, except maybe she, her publicist, or the studio were drawn to cast her for one scene of partial nudity. The big scene in the film—Sean Penn is making a political speech and no one is listening to him, so he lays on the heavy religious rhetoric and shouts and gains everyone’s attention and support—felt extremely forced and uncompelling. How can the audience get excited about Sean’s big scene when it feels like it was the fortieth take and everyone was tired and knew what to expect?
While James Horner’s theme was supposed to sound ominous, all I heard were the similarities to Hans Zimmer’s music in Green Card, which had an entirely different meaning. All the King’s Men isn’t a movie I wish I’d never seen, but it was very forgettable and hardly the money that went into it. A Face in the Crowd, a different story but with similar themes, is an infinitely superior film.
DLM warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. In the first and last scenes, the camera spins in a continuous circle, and it might make you sick. In other words, “Don’t Look, Mom!”
More Jude Law movies here!
More Kate Winslet movies here!