Wag The Dog
Chad'z rating: *** (out of 4 = good)
1997, R, 95 minutes [1 hour, 35 minutes]
[satire]
starring: Dustin Hoffman (Stanley Motss), Robert De Niro (Conrad Brean), Anne Heche (Winifred Ames), Denis Leary (Fad King), written by Hilary Henkin, David Mamet; produced by Robert De Niro, Barry Levinson, Jane Rosenthal; directed by Barry Levinson; based on the novel "American Hero" by Larry Beinhart.
Satirical films usually fall into one of two categories: 1) long-term satire where everything, including the jokes, is somehow related on a large scale (i.e. "Dr. Strangelove"; 2) situation satire in which the comedy and themes are derived moment by moment and scene by scene (i.e. "Men In Black"). What's unique about "Wag The Dog" is that it doesn't necessarily fit either of these descriptions, and yet is both at the same time. The result is a clever comedy based on an original, smart premise, even if the focus does tend to wander a bit.
If there's anything that affects Americans the most it's politics and showbusiness. In this age of information and technology, we've been so conditioned by the media and the entertainment industry in our ways of perceiving things, it's gotten to the point that we are practically controlled by it. We need the media to bring us the most up-to-date news, but we also need the escapism of Hollywood to counter all that thinking. This film starts off well by quickly establishing these ideas, and then presents an interesting scenario: if politics, the media coverage of politics, and the entertainment industry are so closely related, couldn't someone with the power and authority to manipulate one of the aspects manipulate them all? That's the idea Conrad Brean (De Niro), a professional Washington spin doctor, comes up with in order to restore the president's good name who has been accused of child molestation just weeks before the election.
Brean, along with the president's top advisor, Winifred Ames (Heche), fly to California to meet up with hot-shot movie producer Stanley Motss (Hoffman). They pitch him an idea to "produce" the image of a war with Albania (it's a country no one's heard of so they people will buy it). Soon the wheels are in motion and the film's riffing satire comes into play. We're inundated with the Hollywood mind set as Motss brings in a number of experts to help manage the situation, such as a folk singer, visual and sound effects technicians, and a modern style expert known as the Fad King (Leary).
The initial atmosphere is rich with numerous pop culture references where everything somehow relates to something on TV, in the movies, or in the news. The characters' dialogue is witty and funny, although some of the actual jokes and gags seem rather sitcom-esque. For example, one scene shows Motss and Brean's production crew filming an actress portraying a poor Albanian refugee. Motss ordered a kitten for the girl to carry, but instead wound up with a dozen different dogs. Since it's all computer-enhanced anyway, she ends up cradling a bag of Tostitos with the kitten to be inserted later. This demonstrates the film's ability to take a relatively ordinary situation and make it smart and funny just through the premise. But then there's the gags and one-liners that, although are humorous, seem a little gratuitious in the long run such as Motss not being able to remember the actress's name, or, whenever a problem emerges, always responding with,"This is nothing!"
By the time the film makes it to the midpoint, everything that is going to happen in terms of plot happens. The first act is quickly paced, while the second act contains most of the jokes and is the core of the film. Every ten minutes or so a new problem crops up that Motss and Brean must deal with, and it's always fascinating to see what they do and how they do it. The screenplay provides good characterization and actually deals with most of the problems head-on in realistic manners. However, it does have a tendency to avoid things and shift its focus from the election campaign and false war smokescreen to something a bit off the subject.
As the third act rolls around the satirical nature becomes more concerned with the situations and less so with the big picture. What had started off as a brilliant, somewhat harmless conspiracy to fool the general public begins to seem more like something that would happen in a movie. Still, the situation comedy is quite funny, especially a montage showing the entire country flinging old shoes into trees to honor Sgt. Willie Schumann - a war hero Motss and Brean concocted.
Truly great satire manages to create for an entertaining story that makes you laugh at the time, but think about afterwards and "Wag The Dog" at least succeeds in this respect. However, in retrospect it seems like so much more could have been done, namely by extending the running time and filling in the plot holes. Then again, it's a valiant effort.
Please visit Chad'z Movie Page @ http://members.aol.com/ChadPolenz - over 180 new and old films reviewed in depth, not just blind ratings and quick capsules. Also, check out The FIRST Shay Astar Web Page @ http://members.aol.com/ChadPolenz/ShayAstar.html
e-mail: ChadPolenz@aol.com (C) 1998 Chad Polenz
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