Great acting, great filmmaking, half-realised idea -- but nonetheless entertaining.
Wag the Dog (1997)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:70
Fresh:59
Rotten:11
Average Rating:7.4/10
Consensus: Smart, well-acted, and uncomfortably prescient political satire from director Barry Levinson and and all-star cast.
Runtime: 2 hrs 25 mins
Genre: Comedies
Synopsis: When a Firefly Girl accuses the president of sexual misconduct in the Oval Office less than two weeks before the upcoming election, White House official Winifred Ames (Anne Heche) is told to bring... When a Firefly Girl accuses the president of sexual misconduct in the Oval Office less than two weeks before the upcoming election, White House official Winifred Ames (Anne Heche) is told to bring in Conrad Bream (Robert De Niro) to fix the situation and save the president's chances for reelection. This mysterious "fixer" fabricates a conflict with Albania in an effort to detract attention from the sex scandal, bringing in legendary Hollywood producer Stanley Motss (Dustin Hoffman) to "produce" the war. When the CIA foils the initial plot, the creative team turns to a new story line, creating the saga of a U.S. soldier left behind enemy lines whom the president vows to find and return to American soil. Directed by Barry Levinson (DINER, RAIN MAN) and loosely based on Larry Beinhart's novel AMERICAN HERO, this merging of Hollywood and politics is both thought provoking and comical. The inspired casting of Hoffman as the self-absorbed producer and De Niro as the mysterious spin doctor is bolstered by a superb supporting cast that includes Denis Leary and Andrea Martin. [More]
Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Robert De Niro, Anne Heche, Denis Leary
Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Robert De Niro, Anne Heche, Denis Leary, Willie Nelson, Andrea Martin, Kirsten Dunst, William H. Macy, Craig T. Nelson, Suzie Plakson, John Michael Higgins, Woody Harrelson, Michael Belson, Suzanne Cryer, Jason Cottle, David Koechner, Harland Williams, Sean Masterson, Bernard Hocke, Pops Staples
Director: Barry Levinson
Director: Barry Levinson
Producer: Jane Rosenthal, Robert De Niro, Barry Levinson
Story: Larry Beinhart
Screenwriter: Hilary Henkin, David Mamet
Composer: Mark Knopfler
Reviews for Wag the Dog
Lazily assembled by director Levinson, it slides into a series of soft, extended skits on engineering a media war, not helped by several badly handled leaps in the story.
It's a testament to what happens when all the right ingredients come together.
I doubt it will age as well as Network, but it is close to that realm of brilliance.
As a cautionary tale, Wag the Dog may find itself somewhat in the position of preaching to the converted, but the pews will radiate with the sounds of laughter.
The most ingenious and wicked political satire since Dr. Strangelove.
Explores how the deliberate creation of unreality has become one of the most salient aspects of life in our times.
The pacing is crisp, the dialogue quippy and fast, the tone arch but energetic.
Levinson has created a surprising quickie that satirically strikes out at our political system, the media (easy target) and the whole business of image versus reality.
Anyone who would be inherently interested in this kind of sendup is unlikely to be surprised by anything in this film -- overall it feels like a trifle, if an entertaining one.
The picture conveys an irresistible pleasure in fakery for its own sake, and that’s its charm.
Latest News for Wag the Dog
October 12, 2006:
Box Office Guru Preview: "Grudge" Reborn at Box Office
With the pumpkin holiday approaching, Sony unleashes the terror with its frightfest "The Grudge 2" which aims to dominate the marketplace this weekend. More...
October 27, 2005:
Levinson & De Niro to Pair Up for Tinseltown Satire
Variety brings news of an intriguing project that's being described as "Wag the Dog" of the moviemaking world." Robert De Niro will play the lead character in... More...
October 06, 2005:
Robin Williams is Levinson's "Man"
According to Variety, Robin Williams will reunite with filmmaker Barry Levinson on the political comedy "Man of the Year." The actor and director previously worked... More...
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