Product Details

• Actors: Michael Douglas, Annette Bening, Martin Sheen, Michael J. Fox, Anna Deavere Smith
• Directors: Rob Reiner
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, HiFi Sound, Original recording reissued, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Turner Home Ent
• VHS Release Date: January 12, 1999
• Run Time: 115 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (195 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6305132666
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #588 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential video

What sounds like a high-concept romantic comedy pitch from hell--widower president falls for smart lobbyist while the world watches--is actually intelligent, charming, touching, and quite funny. Granted, it's wish fulfillment all the way (when was the last time you saw a president who was truly presidential?), but in the capable hands of writer Aaron Sorkin (TV's Sports Night) and director Rob Reiner, The American President is incredibly enjoyable entertainment with quite a few ideas about both romance and the government. Michael Douglas stars as the president, who after three years in office starts thinking about the possibility of dating. When he auspiciously encounters cutthroat environmental lobbyist Sydney Ellen Wade (Annette Bening), sparks begin to crackle and the two begin a tentative but heartfelt romance. Of course, his job gets in the way--their first kiss is interrupted by a Libyan bombing--but darn it if these two kids aren't going to try and make it work! However, they hadn't counted on the president's Republican antagonist (Richard Dreyfuss), who starts carping about family values. The predictable plot--Douglas finally goes to bat for his lady and his country--is leavened by Sorkin's wonderful, snappy dialogue and a light touch from the usually subtle-as-a-sledgehammer Reiner. Both manage to create a believable White House-office atmosphere (with a crack staff including Martin Sheen, Michael J. Fox, Anna Deavere Smith, and Samantha Mathis) as well as a plausible and funny dating scenario. The true success of the movie, though, rides squarely on Douglas and Bening; this is unequivocally Douglas's best comedic performance (ergo his best performance, period) and Bening, usually such a good bad girl, takes a standard career-woman role and fleshes it out magnificently. You can see in an instant why Douglas would fall for her. One of the best unsung romantic comedies of the '90s. --Mark Englehart

From The New Yorker

In Rob Reiner's romantic comedy, the Chief Executive (Michael Douglas) is a widower-a lonely guy in the White House. The script, by Aaron Sorkin, wastes no time setting him up with a nice girl (Annette Bening), who is lobbying him for tougher environmental laws. This dopey premise creates enough crises to keep the lovers from achieving their destined bliss until an hour and fifty minutes has passed; but if contrivance this monumental is what it takes to put over an "old-fashioned" romantic comedy these days, the genre is in big trouble. There's a political agenda, too: this President gradually sheds his Clark Kentish New Democrat disguise and transforms himself into a liberal Man of Steel. Douglas isn't ideally cast, but Bening is spirited and glamorous, and the picture benefits from hilarious bits by some of the supporting players-notably David Paymer, Richard Dreyfuss, and Michael J. Fox. It's a shame that the movie whose coattails these wonderful actors are attached to is such an empty suit. Also with Martin Sheen, Anna Deavere Smith, and Shawna Waldron. -Terrence Rafferty
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I never get tired of watching this great movie, June 23, 1999

By A Customer

"The American President" is a terrific movie about politics, romance, sex, and real life. Michael Douglas leads a terrific cast of characters that I love to hear talk to each other over and over again. I've seen this movie so many times, I nearly have it memorized. President Andy Sheppard (Douglas) is having problems pushing his crime bill through Congress, but those problems intensify when he finds himself falling for the beautiful environmental lobbyist Sydney Ellen Wade (Annette Bening). The press is all over them from every angle, and Sheppard's 63% approval rating is dropping like a rock. The romance in this story is sweet, but it takes second place to the witty dialogue written by "Sports Night" creator Aaron Sorkin, which makes every character equally enjoyable. Martin Sheen should have won an Oscar for his performance as White House Chief of Staff A.J. Mackinerny, and Michael J. Fox is terrific as Louis Rothchild, who delivers a great speech in the film. The two leads, Douglas and Bening, are great together, and for every moment they are on the screen together, we forget that we're watching a movie. Rob Reiner does a terrific directing job, and turns out a movie that surpasses "When Harry Met Sally."

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great story......disappointing DVD!, September 7, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The American President (DVD)

Everyone knows this is a terrific movie! Those of us who are also DVD fans have waited a couple of years for this to appear on DVD. What a let down!! Rob, where are you man!!!

This a poor transfer with lots of artifacts and someone trying too hard to sharpen the image. To make matters worse this disc has very limited extras. Ok, it's out so let's move to the "collector's edition" so Warner can get a few more bucks and we can get a disc more worthy of this great movie!!

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Good movie. Horrendous DVD transfer - AVOID!, July 14, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The American President (DVD)

This is a charming film with good performances. It reads like a precursor to Aaron Sorkin's "West Wing," except Martin Sheen is the best friend in this one. Michael Douglas is president.

HOWEVER, the DVD transfer on this disc is fairly notorious on DVD review sites as being one of the worst ever created. You would be doing yourself a disservice by buying this disc. Get the VHS tape or wait for a new edition on DVD.