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FILM REVIEWS

The American President By Jim Byerley Home Box Office

Annette Bening is the primary reason to buy a ticket for THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT (Sony Pictures). She brings a lot of warmth and charm to this fairy-tale comedy that is White House set. Even Michael Douglas, as Democratic President Andrew Shepard, comes across with some down-home humanity that is supposed to make us think (I guess) of Bill Clinton. Mr. Shepard is First Ladyless since the death of his wife.

Can a single-guy President jump back into the dating pool? Will the prudish Republicans bust a gut if the President's lady sleeps over? Does the First Daughter approve of Daddy dating a lobbyist? Can the US President order flowers by simply calling up an FTD florist? These are the most troubling questions raised by Rob Reiner's mild-mannered take on love among the legislative bodies.

We could wish for more bite and more depth, but THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT is genial fun that demands little from its constituents. The winning Ms. Bening, as lobbyist Sydney Wade, gets my vote, no matter what her cause. Garnering some laughs in support are Michael J. Fox as a Stephanopoulos-like advisor, David Paymer, Anna Deavere Smith and Martin Sheen. The villain of the piece is a nasty Republican senator played by Richard Dreyfuss.

Unfortunately, the script eliminates him from the big finale, when the mudslinging could have really gotten good. If only Washington were so civil in real life.

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