Aaron Sorkin sets a snappy pace for this classic romance/comedy/Cinderella Story, utilizing the White House, the President, and his staff as the conduit for his dialogue writing prowess.
Clearly, this film helped influence the creation of 'The West Wing' TV Series four years later, even using the same Oval Office set shown in this film. The sets and atmosphere are presented in immaculate detail, and authentic looking, surpassing anything ever portrayed in film other than the Whitehouse itself. I've been in the real Whitehouse, including the Oval Office, and have also sat at the faux Resolute desk on the set of West Wing (same desk used in this film). There was a tremendous investment made to recreate the real thing in this film, and Reiner pulled it off perfectly.
In Sorkin's screenplays, self-confidence, keen intellect, superior communication ability, and one's ethics-compass are at the core of the protagonist's persona.
Michael Douglas portrays Democratic President Andrew Shepherd with the same believability and deft touch as he did playing Gordon Gecko in Wall Street.
Annette Benning is the ideal girlfriend of the widowed Shepherd, and engages the audience (and Douglas) in one of her most charming performances.
A first-class supporting actor ensemble are up to the task of portraying Sorkin's crack White House staff, adding immensely to making this film a feel-good romance that is believable and fun.
The plot doesn't delve deeply into the emotions or feelings of Shepard nor Benning's lobbyist charecter Sydney Ellen Wade, but highlights the witty repertoire one would expect from a US President and Capitol Hill lobbyist. The deft skill and movie-star quality each actor has developed in their respective acting careers are showcased with Sorkin's writing in telling this Whitehouse Cinderella story.
If the film went deep into emotions, it would have just gotten in the way of a story of a widowed relatively young President falling in love at first sight with Sydney, and the fun of seeing her being thrust into the White House staff and press fish bowl.
There is a definite Frank Capra influence to the film.
It all works better than it might seem on paper, and we get to enjoy another Rob Reiner classic: A director whose movie-making style and subject-matter is as diverse as anyone in the business.
