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Primary Colors (1998)

Director: Mike Nichols

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From Time Out Film Guide

Travolta looks the spitting image of Bill Clinton - from the rear. This film à clef about Clinton's 1990 campaign for the Democratic Presidential nomination offers plenty of food for thought on the corruption of the political process, but despite the absorbing material - Elaine May sticking close to the novel by Anonymous (actually political correspondent Joe Klein) - Nichols comes off as the perennial wavering voter. As satire, it's toothless and indulgent; as drama of conscience, it's not a patch on real life (see DA Pennebaker's documentary The War Room). The performances are pitched all over the place, but the real problem is Travolta's avowedly sympathetic, yet distractingly uncharismatic, intellectually light-weight impersonation of the President - Bill gives much better sincerity than this.

Author: TCh 0000-00-00 00:00:00

Time Out Film Guide

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Cast & crew

Director: Mike Nichols

Producer: Mike Nichols

Cast: John Travolta, Emma Thompson, Adrian Lester, Kathy Bates, Billy Bob Thornton full cast

Duration: 143 mins

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