MY FELLOW AMERICANS
A film review by Michael Redman
Copyright 1996 Michael Redman
**1/2 (out of ****)
After watching this film, I can't get the phrase "The Odd Grumpier Old Presidential Couple" out of my head. Jack Lemon and James Garner make an engaging pair in this latest incarnation of quarreling buddies on the run films. =
The film features more US presidents than you can shake a stick at. Garner is former Democratic president Matt Douglas, a charming ladies man who desperately wants another run at the office. Lemon plays former Republican president Russell Kramer who keeps in the public eye by writing cookbooks and making appearances at the drop of a hat. Their nemesis is current president and Kramer=92s former VP William Haney (Dan Aykroyd). Haney's second in command and presidential heir apparent Ted Matthews (John Heard) is a dim bulb that you know couldn't spell potato.
Douglas is promised his party's backing if he can get the goods on a kickback charge against Kramer. He's disappointed when it turns out that Kramer is being set up by Haney and then investigation takes a nasty turn when government agents kill his only witness. =
Their luck deteriorates when the helicopter in which the former chief executives are traveling explodes out of the sky. Lost in the wilds of North Carolina, the two are hiding out from the killer G-men as they try to prove their case.
There aren't many better actors around than Lemon and about the only more likable screen presence in existence than Garner is Wilfred Brimley (who has a small part as Demo party chairman). When the two are on the screen together the movie sings. But when anyone else intrudes into the scenes, the song turns sour.
Although the film pokes fun at both parties, what passes for political satire is far too mild. The possibilities are passed by. Especially tedious is an extended episode where they are given a ride by "ordinary Americans" who proceed to demonstrate how out of touch politicians are with the people. Heavy hitting stuff here.
The two hitch a ride on a train full of sports fans which is as unhumorous as it sounds. Of course there's the obligatory car chase as they bang into things and knock down even bigger things. All road films lend themselves to short episodes in various locales. Here they go from bad to worse.
As good as Lemon and Garner are together, Aykroyd is a stiff. His career was on fire during his stints at "Saturday Night Live" and as a Blues Brother, but recently his movie roles have lacked any life. Almost anyone could have been casted here and been better.
The two stars demonstrate some chemistry together and do the best they can with a script that could have used some extensive work. This is a prime example that there are some works of literature so lame that nothing can make them shine.
[This appeared in the 12/19/96 "Bloomington Voice", Bloomington, Indiana. Michael Redman can be reached at mredman@bvoice.com]
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