My Fellow Americans (1996)

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Must See Movie...

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

As Good As It Gets

The premise of the film is that current office-holder President William Haney (Dan Ackroyd) was involved in an illegal kick-back scheme, giving contracts to a defense company for cash when he was vice president. To prevent the downfall of Haney's presidency, his assistant Carl Witnaur (Bradley Whitford) creates an ingenious cover-up: pin it on former president Russell Kramer (Jack Lemmon). Now while kick-backs are viewed as essentially like bribes, these transgressions may pale in comparison to the nightmare of a Donald Trump presidency. At this writing, Donald Trump was just elected the 45th president of the United States, and the country's divisive nature is rearing its ugly head with protests against a Trump presidency in several urban centers.The film essentially veers away from any controversy and is essentially a harmless road-movie comedy. The premise is that because of the cover-up, the forces loyal to Haney are hunting down both former presidents Kramer and his republican rival President Matt Douglas (James Garner), both one-term presidents. They are forced to help each other, traveling to Kramer's presidential library in Cleveland, OH. Lemon as Kramer seems loosely based on President George H.W. Bush, conservative republican, and President Douglas is loosely based on President Bill Clinton, womanizing democrat. The main outcome which is only applied with a sledge-hammer is that the one-term presidents of opposing parties have more in common than they realize.Similar to many other road films, from "the Silver Streak" with Gene Wilder and Richard Prior in the 1970's to "Get Him to the Greek" starring Russell Brand and Jonah Hill in 2010, "My Fellow Americans" is the tried-and-true formula of two reluctant traveling companions who discover more about one-another than when they were political rivals. They intersect with members of middle America with which they probably wouldn't have ever seen even at campaign rallies, except maybe in issues of The National Enquirer: an obese female trucker, lower-middle class unemployed's, gays and lesbians in a small town, and, my favorite "dykes on bikes".They learn that there's more to the working lower middle-class than meets the eye but again, it's kind of too obvious for its own good. Inter-spliced with this supposedly "deep" message is a lot of goofy bits. For example, they meet an Elvis impersonator about to board a costume-party train (rings a bit like scenes from "Trading Places"), and he assumes they're actors or impersonators dressed like recent US presidents. In another moment, their car is skewered by a "Jack in the Box" statue at a fast food stop while on the road.The biggest problem is the film tries to be goofy yet somehow poignant, but it can't make up it's mind as to which road it wants to take. "Primary Colors", a far superior film to "My Fellow Americans" found an excellent balance between comedy and its darker message. In places "Primary Colors" was very funny, but the humor derived from scenes in which real politicians could be imagined engaging in outrageous behavior, such as when John Travolta as Governor Stanton throws his cell phone out of their car and they have to find it in the shrubbery. By contrast, many scenes in "My Fellow Americans" were too outrageous to be believed. The end up in a small town among a gay pride parade, hiding from their would-be assassins. The locals mistakenly believe the two presidents are "coming out". Seems like it would have been easy to go to the local authorities and contact the FBI or Secret Service! However they never seem to be able to acquire any assistance from anyone in Washington while on the road, and the baddies easily find them. One scene I did like was when they finally reach President Kramer's library, and there's a cut-out standing board with Lemmon as a young actor in uniform, supposedly when Kramer was a Second World War soldier.A decent one-watch but unfortunately a comedy which had much more potential than it realizes. The characters end up appreciating they are "both Americans". Oh brother. The espionage part is kind of interesting, but the road aspect seemed to be long strings of contrived set-up's for crazy comedic moments which were very forced. What silly thing is going to happen to them next? The two leads, Jack Lemmon and James Garner who are heavy-hitting dramatic-comedic talents make it work. In lesser hands it would have been more like a prolonged Saturday Night Live sketch. However, their characters' supposedly rivalry look more like Superman and Batman. The Donald Trump-Hillary Clinton rivalry of the last election ring more of Eleanor Roosevelt versus Dracula.

Peter Segal's My Fellow Americans, a kind and genial little film, has coined the term "Grumpy Old Presidents' over time with good reason. Had Walter Mathau been cast in the role of Democratic Governor Matt Douglas and not James Garner, we would've been calling this "Grumpiest Old Men," as if it were a sequel to the inspired comedies Jack Lemmon and Walter Mathau made in the mid-nineties.But I digress. This is an equally inspired comedy, that knows its tone, knows its audience, and makes good use of its entire cast, especially its lead, Lemmon and Garner, who are unbelievably charismatic together as two bitter political rivals that have proudly clung to this white collar, boyhood way of fighting for decades now. Lemmon plays Republican Senator Russell Kramer and Garner is Democratic Governor Matt Douglas, who have both endured four years in office, first being Kramer defeating Douglas, and then four years later, vice-versa. Now incumbent Douglas has been defeated by former vice president William Haney (Dan Aykroyd) and his vice president Ted Matthews (John Heard). Up to speed? The last few years have been quite quiet for Kramer, who has been publishing books left and right and speaking at various schools and even for insurance companies. Douglas has endured a rougher road, working on publishing a book that is a sub-par effort according to his editor and is in the mix of a long divorce battle. On a plane to a funeral at Air Force One for a fallen Republican, the two men quibble all throughout the plane-ride and cement the fact to us why they have been bitter rivals for so many long years.When a serious scandal goes on that a man by the name of Charlie Reynolds (James Rebhorn) offered current president Haney kickbacks when he was a vice president, the Democratic Party plots to frame Kramer. But when Charlies is assassinated and Kramer and Douglas are put on a helicopter allegedly headed for Camp David under the order of Haney, but shipped into the middle of nowhere, the two cantankerous old presidents must learn to get along and attempt to stop the kickback scandal currently at hand in the White House.It's easy to say this film is never boring. What impressed me immediately was how dialog-driven and event-assisted this film became during the middle of its first act and how it never ceased to become lengthy and ponderous. The film uses its two men not as fiery weapons, but as human characters as they try in work through an incomprehensible situation paired with someone they are not fond of. The film continues to throw in different little twists, to keep its slender plot interesting, and never do they seem obligatory and forced. They are all little pieces attributing to the larger conflict at hand and all come to a close nicely.Writers E. Jack Kaplan, Richard Chapman, and Peter Tolan are too concerned with infusing satire into this material rather than have the characters remain presidential archetypes. Had they not gone for a more satirical effort, depicting corruption in the White House, brutal honest among elected officials, and widely different outlooks on both characters all attempting to cater to the same goal, this could've been a relatively strained, dull, unimportant effort. Yet largely because of the way the film injects little humorous quirks that make both Republicans and Democrats tick is the reason for My Fellow Americans' success as a film and as a whole.One could argue the film plays it too safe for a comedy directed at satirizing and lampooning American politics. I agree; the film relatively works in an inconsequential light and its prime goal isn't to offend or promote further hatred to one side or the other. But this could work in part of its success too, since we're so accustomed to each side bitterly debating with each other and the almost deliberate and apparent contention each side holds with one another that maybe a "safe" satire on politics is kind of what we need. A fun, free-spirited kind of take on the issue. It doesn't need to be completely offensive, and the film isn't always as safe as it would appear. Yet in the long run, Republicans shouldn't be too offended at the jabs at their stinginess and Democrats shouldn't be offended at the punches at their free use of money.My Fellow Americans is written efficiently and played nicely by its three writers and directed with a nice loose grip by Peter Segal, who too directed the joyously fun, quick-witted comedy that was Tommy Boy, that emphasized on the snappy worldplay that this project heavily relies on. Both films work well in the same fields, giving us two likable main characters, two talented screen-performers, an easily-digestible script, competent writing, solid direction, and overall, a cheeriness about a subject that we need and should cherish in current times. The whole exercise works on its own merits and that could be the reason you like or dislike this film as a whole.Starring: Jack Lemmon, James Garner, Dan Aykroyd, and John Heard. Directed by: Peter Segal.

I just finished watching this movie on Netflix and I really enjoyed. I started watching it because I thought it was a historical movie but I was wrong and I'm happy about it. First of all I know Dan Aykroyd from many movies including Driving Miss Daisy. And of course I know Jack Lemmon from Grumpy and Grumpier Old Men. I also know James Garner from The Ultimate Gift. These three are very great actors in their own way and this movie was perfect for all three. But to me it did get a little confusing right around the middle but when the ending happened it cleared it all up. I suggest if your looking for a movie to watch but don't know which, go to Netflix and watch My Fellow Americans!

Former Republican president Russell Kramer (Jack Lemmon) and former Democratic president Matt Douglas (James Garner) hate each other with a passion. Kramer is set up by the acting president William Haney (Dan Aykroyd) for taking a kickback in money that his head of state actually did. Douglas tries to help Kramer but they're soon running for their lives as the CIA sets out to kill them. And it's a comedy.Very funny movie. Garner and Lemmon play off each other well and their verbal sparrings are highlights of the movie. Their are jabs given at Dems and Reps (although the Reps get bashed more). There's also an incredible supporting cast including Bradley Whitford (years before "The West Wing"); John Heard as an idiotic vice president (an obvious parody of Dan Quayle); Esther Rolle as a White House cook and Lauren Bacall (shamefully underused) as Lemmon's wife. Aykroyd surprisingly underplays his role as the President. Also this film is extremely gay positive which gives it extra points in my book.**DEFINITE SPOILERS** The presidents are able to hide from the CIA in a Gay Pride parade; Dykes on Bikes (an actual group) get them to a library they need to use and a gay man (winningly played by Jeff Yagher) saves their lives at the end. **END SPOILERS** Funny, fast-paced, dramatic, gay positive...all in all a very good film. This bombed at the box office but it's well worth catching. I give it an 8.