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Photo © Sony Pictures releasing.
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All the King's Men
Drama; biopic
2 hrs.
September 15th, 2006
PG-13 for an intense sequence of violence, sexual content and partial nudity.
Sony Pictures releasing.
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Starring: Sean Penn, Jude Law, Kate Winslet, Mark Ruffalo, Anthony Hopkins.
Directed By: Steve Zaillian
Produced By: James Carville, Michael Hausman, Todd Phillips
Screenplay By: Steve Zaillian. Based on Robert Penn Warren's 1946 novel.
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Reviewed
By: Wellington Lee
Rated 2.94/5
Screened Sept 9th, Toronto Intl.Film Festival.
In a Nutshell:The biopic based loosely on the life of 1930's small town hick to Louisiana Governor,Huey Long. Penn plays his Gov.Willie Stark small
town cunning, with massive power and strident gesticulations. Co Star Jude Law has a more nuanced role, as an alcoholic and cynical reporter, hired by Gov.
Stark, to counter punch and dig up dirt on the entrenched southern politicos and oil interests.Both their accents are sound, but Brits Hopkins and the
usually terrific Winslet, don't even try for deep south. Slows down in places. Powerful cinematography and production values.Good choice for political
history biopic lovers;and those seeking that big screen fix, if one or more of these stars is a favorite.
Feature Review:Sheer force and magnitude, cannot describe the energetic imitation by Sean Penn, of depression era political maverick, Louisiana Gov.
Huey Long (as fictional'Willie Stark'). Medium build Penn fire breathes the massive real life Long, orating by exuding massive, hog farmer (he was) power,
while rocking on his feet and thrusting one arm, then chopping the air with the other. Shot after shot shows him taunting first the poor white "hicks"(his
words), and then mixed crowds of black farmers, to vote. To help him take what is theirs. What is only lacking, is at least one scene of intimate
interaction with a local, versus the stock but well done, reaction shots to the fervor of Stark's(Penn) speeches. I question the historical accuracy of
Long personally speaking to numerous African American crowds, vs.letting his black leader allies handle their voting block. This seems intentional
(understandably), to engender contemporary audience empathy. Co-star Jude Law as a cynical alcoholic reporter/narrator turned Stark crony, barely holds
his own, during their frequent screen time.
The is the 2nd biopic (No.1 1949) based loosely on Warren's 1946 novel, and the life of 1930's small town hick to Louisiana Governor, Huey Long. The
populist
and flamboyant orator, promised the depression era downtrodden, a plate at the table. Stark would control the menu, and the pickings were to come from more
taxes, and the promised diversion of patronage dollars, from the state's oil and vested interest wealth. Needless to say this broadcast message didn't sit
well with the
attorneys, judges and political caste system of the day. There are not any real time references, and the vintage cars are more late 40's and 50's, vs. the
1930's.
But the basic storylines and character dilemmas are straightforward, with a couple of surprises to keep us interested.
Stark is persuaded by backroom cigar
politico Tiny Duffy(James Gandolfini),to pass on Mason city political ambitions, and make the three way Governor's race. Massive Gandolfini has a pretty
good
Southern Louisiana accent, but I can't help thinking of his east coast, wise guys parts. Enter Jack Burden, the cynical Chronicle Newspaper columnist, who
befriends Starks personal assistant/lover, Sadie Burke (New Orleans native Patricia Clarkson).When Stark overhears that he is being set up by front man
Tiny,
to split the black vote and re elect the front runner, he goes off his orange soda with 2 straws (over done) wagon, and with the booze, finds his own populist voice.
Criss crossing the
state by train and car, Stark apparently entertains the cynical Jack, who features him in column headline after headline.
Willie throws out his backers’ supplied speeches, running his own race full of his own brand of
vitriolic barnstorming, that rings true with the Great Depression downtrodden.With this colorful, populist image, he rides all the free print press right into a sweep of the Governor's mansion.
Stark was a womanizing, scrappy and shrewd country boy. Penn exudes all these qualities, with entertaining ease. There are several well designed scenes of
the Governor lasciviously watching private showings of night club acts, before implied trysts with these cabaret stars.Writ/Dir. Zaillian uses these scenes of the
swagger of political power, or simulated insider one on ones, to heap on a moral quandary for new aid Jack.
This is one of the better Jude Law performances,
as Law nuances this character, with two major predicaments. His Jack struggles with a moral/character dilemma; while pining for a childhood
friend(romance).Counterpunching Stark orders Jack to dig up any dirt on the prominent, respected Judge Samuel Irwin(Anthony Hopkins),who slammed the
Governor in the press. The problem for Jack, is that Irwin acted as his surrogate father, when his own Dad abandoned the family. He struggles with his
assignment, but a wily Stark, won't take no. Whether the investigative reporter side kicks in, or whether out of curiosity to discover a chink in his father
figure's past, Jack scoops one key incident of dirt. The only one of the three acclaimed three Brit actors with a plausible Southern accent, handsome and
subtle
Law, is perfectly cast. Jude grasps his character's flaws and dilemmas, internalizing them before treating a memorable performance. One memorable, character
revealing line(by writ./Dir.Zaillian), that speaks to Jack's ambivalence over Judge Irwin exposing him to both the ease and guilt of'privelege:"The sins of
your own entitlement."
Winslet, a favorite actress of this critic, chooses offbeat roles from screenplays and directors that she believes in." I was offered the part(of Jack's
childhood friend Anne) at the last minute.. ..I'm just glad to be a part of it", Winslet told me in Toronto. This(no time for extended voice coaching) might
explain Kate just going for her stock 'American accent'. She competently portrays the enigmatic Anne Stanton, childhood love interest of Jack, and screen
brother of Dr. Adam(minor, inconsistent support, from Mark Buffalo).Anthony Hopkins is well cast as the judge father figure of Jack. But again, either prior
commitments or inattention to proper voice coaching by Dir. Zaillian, render his Judge Irwin's accent, somewhere between mock southern and his native
Wales.
"..the King's Men" does NOT have the depth and mystery of a "Chinatown"(Polanski/Nicholson), but is styled somewhat that way. Stark's(Penn)rousing speeches are repetitive, where just 1 or 2 scenes of him interacting with the common rural man, would make this seem less like a try for an award nominating performance(e.g.Oscar®).Excellent production
values, with a rousing score. Those who like long sagas like "China.." and "The Big Sleep", political biopics and a couple of the all star cast, should not
be disappointed for a weekend night out. Catch this on the Big Screen for the impact.
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