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Movies / On DVD / Bob Roberts
Bob Roberts

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Bob Roberts (1992)

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Reviews Counted:33

Fresh:33

Rotten:0

Average Rating:7.6/10

Runtime: 1 hr 43 mins

Genre: Comedies

Synopsis: Tim Robbins stars in his directorial debut as right-wing folksinger Bob Roberts in this satirical mock documentary. Roberts is joined on the Pennsylvania senatorial campaign trail by a British... Tim Robbins stars in his directorial debut as right-wing folksinger Bob Roberts in this satirical mock documentary. Roberts is joined on the Pennsylvania senatorial campaign trail by a British documentary filmmaker who offers insight into Roberts, his staff, and his supporters. Roberts is the anti-Bob Dylan, wowing his supporters with tunes such as "Times Are Changin' Back" and "Wall Street Rap" (which includes a video send-up of Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues"). With his clean-cut good looks and squeaky-clean image, Roberts appears as American as apple pie. Yet, like most politicians, he harbors some nasty secrets, including potential involvement in illegal drug trafficking and bank scandals. And like most politicians, he is a master at manipulating the media. Roberts's political trickery turns serious when an innocent man is accused of attempting to assassinate the candidate. Some of Hollywood's best appear as news anchors and reporters, including Susan Sarandon, James Spader, Peter Gallagher, and Helen Hunt. Gore Vidal is immensely believable as the liberal incumbent trying to keep his Senate seat, battling Robbins, who is the consummate politician of the 1990s: lots of fluff and not much substance. [More]

Starring: Tim Robbins, Alan Rickman, Giancarlo Esposito, Ray Wise

Starring: Tim Robbins, Alan Rickman, Giancarlo Esposito, Ray Wise, Gore Vidal, Brian Murray, Rebecca Jenkins, Harry J. Lennix, John Ottavino, Robert Stanton, Jack Black, Bob Balaban, John Cusack, Peter Gallagher, Robert Hegyes, Helen Hunt, Pamela Reed, James Spader, Susan Sarandon, Fred Ward, Fisher Stevens, David Strathairn, Kelly Willis, Lynne Thigpen

Director: Tim Robbins

Director: Tim Robbins
Screenwriter: Tim Robbins
Producer: Forrest Murray
Composer: David Robbins

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Reviews for Bob Roberts

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1 - 20 (sorted by fresh rating; UK critics are listed first)
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An over-strung last act aside, this is funny, brilliant and sickening all at the same time.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
01/01/00
Angie Errigo
Angie Errigo
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Bob Roberts is not merely a satirical fictional biopic, but a wry exploration of the relationship between political reality and manufactured image.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
02/09/06
Geoff Andrew
Geoff Andrew
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

No review available.

comment Comment
10/04/02
Brian J. Arthurs
Brian J. Arthurs
Beach Reporter (Southern California)

A political comedy that puts the tools of populist left wing politics into the hands of an arch-conservative and uses them to hit a bull’s-eye.

Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | comment Comment
02/13/01
Brian Webster
Brian Webster
Apollo Guide

No review available.

comment Comment
02/13/04
Carol Cling
Carol Cling
Las Vegas Review-Journal

A funny and dark election-year satire by writer-director-star Tim Robbins, lampooning the political right and the extremes to which some of its constituents go.

Full Review Source: Deseret News, Salt Lake City | comment Comment
01/01/00
Chris Hicks
Chris Hicks
Deseret News, Salt Lake City

Characteristically and welcomingly Tim Robbins

comment Comment
01/24/06
Clint Morris
Clint Morris
Moviehole

No review available.

comment Comment
11/04/07
Cole Smithey
Cole Smithey
ColeSmithey.com

No review available.

comment Comment
07/26/02
David Poland
David Poland
Hot Button

Robbins, who scripted and directed, creates more than enough on his own. Bob's un-hackneyed character is the prime case in point.

Full Review Source: Washington Post | comment Comment
01/01/00
Desson Thomson
Desson Thomson
Washington Post

Robbins's satire is savvy and complex enough to send mixed signals to the viewers about politics and pop culture; both Democrats and Republicans may find supporting evidence for their arguments in his picture.

Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | comment Comment
04/29/06
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

comment Comment
03/24/04
Frank Swietek
Frank Swietek
One Guy's Opinion

Snappy political satire about a 1990 Pennsylvania race for the U.S.Senate.

Full Review Source: Spirituality and Practice | comment Comment
08/23/02
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Spirituality and Practice

Tim Robbins' documentary about singing Senate candidate is funny, scary political satire.

Full Review Source: Netflix | comment Comment
11/07/02
James Rocchi
James Rocchi
Netflix

a mostly on-target satire, with a great soundtrack

comment Comment
07/29/02
James Sanford
James Sanford
Kalamazoo Gazette

No review available.

comment Comment
05/20/05
Jeffrey Westhoff
Jeffrey Westhoff
Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL)

A sometimes brilliant if overloaded pseudodocumentary satire.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
07/08/09
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader

No review available.

comment Comment
11/21/04
Jules Brenner
Jules Brenner
Cinema Signals

No review available.

comment Comment
01/17/03
Kit Bowen
Kit Bowen
Hollywood.com

No review available.

comment Comment
04/04/05
Larry Ratliff
Larry Ratliff
San Antonio Express-News
 
 
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