Product Details

• Actors: Jack Lemmon, James Garner, Dan Aykroyd, John Heard, Wilford Brimley
• Directors: Peter Segal
• Writers: E. Jack Kaplan, Peter Tolan, Richard Chapman
• Producers: Craig Zadan, Jean Higgins, Jon Peters, Michael Ewing
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• VHS Release Date: November 11, 1997
• Run Time: 101 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (76 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6304452640
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #268,262 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Call this "The Odd Couple Goes to the White House." Jack Lemmon and James Garner play ex-presidents in this lousy comedy, each of them having served only one term as chief executive and each the other's lifelong enemy. The best jokes in the film are front-loaded into the first five minutes. We meet both men living life after the White House, one (Lemmon) making speeches for whoever will front his large fee, while the other (Garner) writes relevant books no one reads. Any time they show up at the same function, they insult each other like snarling schoolboys. It is pretty funny, but after a brief introduction My Fellow Americans goes downhill rapidly, becoming yet another stupid road movie traveled by characters who hate each other. (How many of these is Lemmon going to make?) The jokes get dumber and cruder, the actors embarrass themselves, and the whole enterprise becomes tedious. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hail to the chiefs, February 26, 2005

By 

wiredweird "wiredweird" (Earth, or somewhere nearby) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: My Fellow Americans (DVD)

At first glance, this looks one of Hollywood's freakier genetic experiments: implanting the genes of a political thriller into a road-trip comedy. The surpise is that the offspring is not just viable, but a good healthy comedy. It surely helps to have two fathers like James Garner and Jack Lemmon bringing it to life.

They play the roles of two ex-presidents, living out their retirements in their respective ways: grubbing every dollar to be had on the lecture circuit (Lemmon), or grabbing every babe to be had (Garner). Dan Aykroyd, improbably cast as the current president, detects a scandal brewing and tries to nail it to the previous administration. Garner and Lemmon, one-time political opponents, are thrown together and the chase begins.

The comedy comes largely from the series of cheap shots and snide recollections the two hurl at each other. The feel-good part comes from their bonding over shared experiences as past presidents, under the pressure of pursuit. The political thriller builds as the hired guns keep trying to assassinate the ex-pres, and to bury the scandal with him. As long as you're not looking for any great subtlety, it works.

It's a bit goofy, but it's a good, safe comedy with just enough plot twists to keep it from becoming completely predictable. It couldn't have worked without Garner and Lemmon in the lead roles, though - their experience in such roles is what made the movie work.

//wiredweird

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great, Entertaining Film!, December 6, 2002

By 

Kenneth A. Bagenstose (Fleetwood, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: My Fellow Americans [VHS] (VHS Tape)

First of all, I don't know how the critic, Mr. Keogh, could possibly call this a "lousy" film! I'm a big fan of Garner and Lemmon, two of the all-time greats. This movie is one hilarious joke after another, with some serious moments thrown in for good measure. It certainly is a heck of a lot better than some of the garbage hailed by critics as masterpieces; it's a straightforward, non-stop entertaining affair, one that makes you feel as though you got your money's worth after watching it. The supporting cast is great, too, with Bacall, Heard, Ackroyd, and others putting in some solid performances.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ONE OF THE BEST COMEDIES EVER MADE...INTELLIGENT AND SHARP, August 6, 2000

By 

Jordan - See all my reviews

This review is from: My Fellow Americans (DVD)

"MY FELLOW Americans" is everything you could ever want in a comedy. Sharp, caustic wits from Lemmon (as Russell Kramer) and Garner (as Matt Douglas) combined with a downright hilarious plot makes this my #1 movie of 1996, my #24 of the 90's, and my #3 comedy of the 90's (behind #1 Bulworth and #2 Dogma). This would be an excellent one to go rent and prepare for the election in November.
The excellent comedic writing is apparent ("There are only two watches like that in the world, Reagan has one and now Shamu the Killer Hick has the other!"), and Heard's underrated performance as Vice President Ted Matthews nearly steals the show. (For those that have seen it, tell me his last line shouldn't be ranked up there with other classic lines!) As usual, Lauren Bacall is magnificent ("Don't say friggin', if you're going to use the F word go for the gold"), and of course Jack Lemmon and James Garner turn in great performances.
The great cast, writing, and script idea all fold together to make one of the best movies ever made.
5/5.