Dick (1999)

Expected more

Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

Blistering performances.

A really fun movie, that takes a serious national mess and makes it a comedy. It is so much more fun to get behind official stories and get the real stories that move events. This is, of course, all make believe and fantasy, but the historical events- the break in, the tapings, the resignation, etc. really did occur. It is in fact a great way to introduce younger people to what happened, while getting a real laugh, actually a lot of laughs, especially at the end. A really fun movie- for those of us who lived through those times it provides a great flashback to the times, the scenes, the music and even the people that were making news back then. Not a grand educational type movie, but the good girls prevail in the end. Don't blame me if you spit your popcorn out a few times with laughter, and if you are old enough to get the jokes you just might. For the type of movie it is- a comedy, it is hard to see how it could get much better.

I hated, hated, hated, hated this movie. The first sign that trouble was on the way was seeing Will Ferrell's idiot grin and realizing he and the other guy were supposed to be playing Woodward and Bernstein, roles previously played by real actors Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman. I laughed, maybe, twice. This is a perfect example of a film that deserved to flop, since it wasn't any good. For some reason, some critics gave this film good reviews which is something I will never understand. There is a good, funny movie featuring clueless teenagers wandering around the White House. It's called Beavis and Butt-Head Do America and it is much more entertaining than this stinker could ever be.

Dick is a culturally and politically charged satire that seems to mirror certain social images/issues that are current in today's world. As expected within most Neo-Classical comedies, Dick exploits the wide spectrum of cultural stereotypes. Included are: Blonde and ditzy teenage girls, pothead older brother, Nazi high school teacher, lime-lit newspaper reporters, and a corrupt presidential campaign (which arguably and ironically continues to be a heated topic in today's world). Each stereotype, perhaps, is a reflection or commentary on how foolish America was in the 1970's, but each that nevertheless carries a timeless quality in to today's governing politics. I mean, there was the naïve public portrayed as believers of whatever the president said on national television as being veridical; a pair of airy teenagers that wagged the Nixon administration and ultimately ended his reign as Commander and Chief (not to forget a metaphorical insight into their position as "dog walkers"); and a pothead's "magic" cookie recipe that accounted for Nixon's paranoia when being pressured by the public. Although all of these elements are a satirical blast on previous political campaigns, they may not be too far off from where we are today. Let me explain.First off, I must admit I am not historically astute. However, I was not blind to the film's heckling subtext that seemed not only to ridicule Nixon himself, but also those who are typical of his character today. We see so many scandals in modern times involving corrupt politicians that, consequently, we have become jaded to their importance (i.e. Clinton scandal; Bush conspiracies; crooked corporations). This film merely emphasizes the catalyst of that ongoing corruption, when for the first time in American history (independent of Johnson's impeachment) a president's authority had been publicly questioned. Although the public is more aware today and less naïve towards the encroachments of governmental power, we have substituted our naivety for skepticism and cynicism (two qualities that are equally, if not worse than what we possessed before). Today the president's authority is also bombarded with an arsenal of attacks (and more). I only wonder if they'll one day combine the stars of both Dick and Romy and Michele's High School Reunion to make a satire out of the Bush Administration. I wouldn't be surprised. While nothing is really historically revised to tell the tale, the film does humorously provide a stream of satirical answers to some of the most mysterious questions regarding the Nixon administration. Questions like: "What really happened at Watergate and who alerted the authorities about the break-in?" "What was on the eighteen-and-a-half minutes of tape that got erased?" "Who was 'Deep Throat,' and why the alleged pseudonym?" The answers given to these questions poke fun at how ridiculous the cover-up was really made out to be. Satires like this, I think, are made for one of two reasons (or both): 1). To release social tensions by remembering to laugh once in awhile at societal shortcomings, and/or 2). To make a political statement regarding the nature of whom, we, as societal members, vote for to run our country. Perhaps it's a little of both, but given the content of this particular film, I don't think it took itself too seriously.

I am a history teacher and if I tried to spot all the anachronisms and historical mistakes, this film would drive me crazy. However, it's all intended as good old silly fun and I had no trouble letting go of my usual habit of spotting the goofs.The film is like combining a dopey teen comedy (such as CLUELESS) with history--in this case, the last years of the Nixon presidency and all its scandals. Again and again, these Forrest Gump-like airheads stumble into one plot after another and accidentally trigger the events that led to the exposure of the Watergate conspiracy. The film begins with the girls stumbling into G. Gordon Liddy during his burglary of the DNC office and culminate with their giving Dick Nixon a rousing send-off at the end of the film.Of all the silly situations in the film, I particularly liked the movie's explanation for the missing 18 and 1/2 minutes on the Nixon tapes as well as the way Woodward and Bernstein were portrayed. However, these are just two of many silly and cute moments.Overall, a great laugh--particularly for those old enough to notice all the references in the film (such as the plumbers and Checkers--who was a Cocker Spaniel, not a pointer, by the way).A word of note--parents may want to think twice about having younger kids watch this movie due to its many crude references (after all, the film is named "Dick"--it should be expected) as well as drug use and glorification.