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Primary
Colors
***1/2
Cinema
Releases - October 30,
1998
Rated on a 4-star
scale; USA; Directed by Mike Nichols. Written by Elaine May; from the novel
by "Anonymous". Starring
John Travolta, Adrian Lester, Emma Thompson, Billy Bob Thornton, Kathy Bates,
Maura Tierney, Larry Hagman, Diane Ladd.
When Joe Klein's anonymously written novel "Primary
Colors" hit bookstore shelves in late 1994, it was a hot property, and everyone
read it -- except for myself. It was obvious that there was going to be a
film made of "Primary Colors", and I decided to see it without
my judgement coloured. Whether it was worth a four-year wait, I can't say,
but I can say that for the most part, Mike Nichols' film is a brilliant piece
of work.
In case you don't already know, the story follows
the Stantons -- Jack (John Travolta) and Susan (Emma Thompson) -- on Jack's
road to the White House. They are, of course, a thinly disguised version
of Bill and Hillary Clinton, and the events and supporting characters in
this piece are often thinly disguised versions of people from real-life.
We see this campaign trail from the point of view of Henry Burton (Adrian
Lester), the grandson of a much-respected civil rights leader. Burton decides
to join Jack Stanton's team because he sees him as a rare combination of
somebody who has a chance of political success and somebody who really
cares.
Of course, knowing who Stanton is based on, you'll
know that this means Henry and his colleagues will have to help him through
a cavalcade of sex scandals, false accusations from desperate opponents,
attempts to get support in impossible areas, lectures from Susan that have
Jack stumped, ethical dilemmas, a would-be vote-stealing governor played
by Larry Hagman (no, he doesn't get shot) and even one or two deaths. (Henry's
main two colleagues, played by Billy Bob Thornton and Maura Tierney, are
just as loyal and clever, and so they're up to the task.)
All this is a showcase for cracking dialogue and
a lot of terrific humour, especially when scenes capture the goofy haphazardness
of a lot of political strategy and decision-making. But although the characters
are comical at times, they are dignified too, and we care about them -- "Primary
Colors" treats this subject matter properly by taking on a delicate balance
of humour and drama. We get good, mature character studies of the key players,
which admirably treat their good qualities and bad with equal weight and
seriousness.
The performances and technical values are first-rate
-- what else can we expect from a director like Nichols, whose credits include
"The Graduate", "Working Girl", "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" and "Silkwood"?
Travolta nails the Clinton persona without having to do an impersonation,
and so in some ways manages to make Stanton a separate, original character
at the same time. Thompson has the most dramatic moments in the film, as
well as the funniest, and she plays them both with equal discipline and skill.
The outrageous Kathy Bates is hysterical. As the top advisors, Lester, Thornton
and Tierney all shine -- they are believably quick-witted, with impeccable
timing, and they are good to watch because they're convincing as noble people.
Lester is the standout, as a nice, open-faced chap whose eyes we feel privileged
to look through. The actor is a Brummie, but handles his American accent
astoundingly. And the cinematography by Michael Ballhaus ("Broadcast News",
"GoodFellas", "Quiz Show") gives us some gorgeous American
imagery.
The film does lose pace a little in its second
half -- for what is often a fictional film it seems to want to include too
many events for its own storytelling good, events which keep making the same
point. And at times it almost loses that delicate balancing act between the
drama and the comedy. Still, "Primary Colors" is an highly intelligent and
entertaining piece of work, which takes on a lot of complicated subjects
and not only doesn't squirm, but has fun with them, even when it knows that
its approach is a difficult one to pull off with any story.
COPYRIGHT©
1998 Ian Waldron-Mantgani
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