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Primary Colors

Primary Colors (1998)

March. 20,1998
|
6.7
|
R
| Drama

In this adaptation of the best-selling roman à clef about Bill Clinton's 1992 run for the White House, the young and gifted Henry Burton is tapped to oversee the presidential campaign of Governor Jack Stanton. Burton is pulled into the politician's colorful world and looks on as Stanton -- who has a wandering eye that could be his downfall -- contends with his ambitious wife, Susan, and an outspoken adviser, Richard Jemmons.

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CheerupSilver
1998/03/20

Very Cool!!!

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Vashirdfel
1998/03/21

Simply A Masterpiece

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Marketic
1998/03/22

It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

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Beystiman
1998/03/23

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

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851222
1998/03/24

Greetings from Lithuania."Primary Colors" (1998) is superbly entertaining motion picture, telling a story of a campaign for president post, and how all the dirty thing eventually come up. This is superbly paced picture, which at long running time 2 h 20 min. doesn't drag for a minute, yes, it is that involving. Scipt is terrific, sometimes very funny (but it is not slapstick comedy) and smart. Acting is brilliant. Everyone in here shines, John Travolta is superb in here, as well Billy Bob Thornton and all the rest - it is a superb cast doing a superb work.Overall, "Primary Colors" is as much about politics as it not about politics. Well, it's actually about politics, but this movie can be watch by those who don't like politic in general, this movie is a true gem. And by the way, i think i would have voted for Picker.

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lasttimeisaw
1998/03/25

Mike Nichols presents a political satire PRIMARY COLORS, which came timely during Bill Clinton's infamous Lewinsky scandal and impeachment in 1998. So it might boost the publicity then, but 15 years later, when our memories fade, the film actually has weathered pretty good, narrating from a Black young novice Henry (Lester)'s eyes, who assists Governor Jack Stanton (Travolta)'s presidential campaign for the democrats, initially Henry thinks Jack is different from other politicians because he viscerally cares about adult literacy and dyslexia, but when he gets closer to him, the stain of Jack's personal life is far more reprehensible and the conniving political game is far too scurvy for an idealist like him. With a light touch, the film sets its campaign process in a vibrant tempo, benignly portrays Jack as a zestful candidate who canvasses and panders to his voters with great facility (through the different connotations from his body gestures and a memorable slapstick cameo from Allison Janney) in spite of the relatively youthful and uninitiated team. Then when Jack's wife Susan (Thompson) comes into the scene, the placid surface cannot dissemble the cracks beneath as soon as we detect Jack's philandering nature. A sex scandal is well-expected, which invites the troubleshooter Libby (an open lesbian and a close friend of Jack and Susan since college), plays by a fiery Kathy Bates, a devil-may-care warrior can track down any sources and break them, Bates is well-deserved for this hard-earned Oscar nominated performance, her wrangle with Jack and Susan about the integrity she cannot forsake is purely magnificent. Emma Thompson is perpetually excellent, especially under Nichol's guidance, a perfect wife behind a successful man mode is such a cinch for her and she nails it with much more nuances to accentuate her vulnerability and snobbishness. As for Travolta, it has hitherto been his last decent offer (if one can count out his droll transvestite transformation in HAIRSPRAY 2007, 8/10), underneath his cordial impression, his true color does not betray easily even in the hardest times, maybe that's why makes him a successful politician. And Adrian Lester is the audience's proxy, a wide-eyed enthusiast undergoes the tidal wave throughout, and an adamant observer which cogently influences his sea change in altitude through the screen to the viewers, bookends with the ending's artificial vagueness which also corresponds with the beginning, the same handshakes, different undertones. Forget about its reality allusions if you can, PRIMARY COLORS qualifies itself as a better-than- expected dissection of what politicians are made of, we are all characters with flaws, sometimes moralities and political expertise should be discriminated in order to see through the murky smoke screen and select the credential-ed ones instead of stalking horses. As for most of us, the most substantial message is that there is no win-win situation or whatsoever in the political composition.

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evanston_dad
1998/03/26

What on paper sounds like the ingredients of a smart, snappy political satire instead makes for an over-long and lifeless dud of a movie.Mike Nichols directs John Travolta and Emma Thompson as a political couple clearly modeled on Bill and Hillary Clinton as they make their bid for President and First Lady of the U.S. But the movie has no spark at all, and it drifts aimlessly and lethargically to its conclusion.The only person who is able to breathe some life into the proceedings is Kathy Bates as a firecracker of a political consultant. Once she departs the film, her presence is sorely missed.Grade: C-

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ametaphysicalshark
1998/03/27

I really feel that Mike Nichols wastes his (considerable) talent on directing bland Hollywood films when he could be doing something interesting. This is exactly what "Primary Colors" is- a watchable and somewhat entertaining political satire but one that is bland and instantly forgettable. Well, outside of Travolta's best Bill Clinton impression, that is.Based on Joe Klein's book of the same name which was clearly (despite claims to the contrary) based on Bill Clinton's 1992 Presidential campaign. It's amazing how dull this movie is when it has such a superficially interesting story to tell. It is under the pretension of being some sort of daring political expose when in fact it is really just: John Travolta impersonating Bill Clinton and look ashamed when another scandal about his past is revealed. Add to this some amazingly contrived and ludicrous dialogue from Elaine May and you have a very, very bland and predictable film.Good acting all-around, mostly celebrities being themselves or impersonating political personalities but nothing bad, exactly. Nichols is a good director and paces the film surprisingly well. The script is the main issue here and it is just a huge mess.6/10

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