The Seduction of Joe Tynan

A film using familiar themes - the personal pressures of success, power as an aphrodisiac - to recount its Kennedy-style success story of the young, dynamic, but blandly selfish Senator Tynan (Alda), who jeopardises family and friends in pursuit of power, and succumbs with understandable swiftness to Meryl Streep. Though it shows political and personal distinctions blurred by ambition and by the inevitable erosion of honesty, the film still seems to want the system to work. Perhaps Schatzberg deferred too much to Alda, who stars and wrote the script; a pity, because he seems less sympathetic to Tynan than Alda is. Once again Schatzberg proves himself a strong director of actors, but keeps the film within the safe confines of semi-sophisticated Adult Entertainment.