My Fellow Americans (1996)
I’d spent years and years of my childhood watching My Fellow Americans every July 4th, and by the time I got around to seeing any movies from Jack Lemmon’s or James Garner’s careers in the 1960s, I didn’t recognize them. To this day, I’m still surprised to see Jack’s brown hair in The Apartment. Jimmy, who looked exactly like my grandfather as he aged, will always be “Grandpa!” to me, rather than the fellow from The Great Escape. You can’t help first impressions, and My Fellow Americans is a very good one for both veteran actors.
One of the best things about this movie is that it only gets funnier as the years pass. Politics has become so much more polarizing in the past twenty-five years, so the idea of two ex-presidents of opposing parties teaming up and going on an adventure together is just hilarious. Nearly every line is funny and quotable, and the few that aren’t are sweet and sentimental. From Lauren Bacall’s, “Go for the gold,” to Jack Lemmon’s, “Our dreams are like our children,” James Garner’s, “If they didn’t vote for me, let ’em freeze!” John Heard’s endless stupidity, and Michael Pena’s cute comment in the end, every moment is just delightful. A host of familiar faces pepper the supporting cast: Bradley Whitford, James Rebhorn, Wilford Brimley, Conchata Ferrell, Esther Rolle, Everett McGill, Sela Ward, and Dan Akroyd. Exciting, sentimental, nostalgic, inspiring, and hilarious, this political flick is a true gem.
More James Garner movies here!
One of the best things about this movie is that it only gets funnier as the years pass. Politics has become so much more polarizing in the past twenty-five years, so the idea of two ex-presidents of opposing parties teaming up and going on an adventure together is just hilarious. Nearly every line is funny and quotable, and the few that aren’t are sweet and sentimental. From Lauren Bacall’s, “Go for the gold,” to Jack Lemmon’s, “Our dreams are like our children,” James Garner’s, “If they didn’t vote for me, let ’em freeze!” John Heard’s endless stupidity, and Michael Pena’s cute comment in the end, every moment is just delightful. A host of familiar faces pepper the supporting cast: Bradley Whitford, James Rebhorn, Wilford Brimley, Conchata Ferrell, Esther Rolle, Everett McGill, Sela Ward, and Dan Akroyd. Exciting, sentimental, nostalgic, inspiring, and hilarious, this political flick is a true gem.
More James Garner movies here!