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Primary Colors (1998)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:73
Fresh:58
Rotten:15
Average Rating:7.2/10
Consensus: Well acted and suprisingly funny.
Synopsis: In Mike Nichols's PRIMARY COLORS, America's topsy-turvy political process is viewed through the eyes of Henry Burton (Adrian Lester), an idealistic young man who is seduced into managing the... In Mike Nichols's PRIMARY COLORS, America's topsy-turvy political process is viewed through the eyes of Henry Burton (Adrian Lester), an idealistic young man who is seduced into managing the presidential campaign of slick southern governor Jack Stanton (John Travolta). The mesmerized Burton immediately sets up campaign headquarters and meets his new political family: Susan Stanton (Emma Thompson), Jack's wife and partner; Richard Jemmons (Billy Bob Thornton), the sly, improbable political strategist who proudly describes himself as a redneck; Libby Holden (Kathy Bates), the fanatically loyal, overtly lesbian campaign troubleshooter who always has a big mouth and occasionally carries a big gun to match; and Daisy (Maura Tierney), the young, smart, and looking-for-love campaign media adviser. The film is based on the controversial best-selling novel by Anonymous (Joe Klein). Travolta's dead-on, thinly disguised Clinton impersonation alone is well worth seeing. [More]
Starring: John Travolta, Emma Thompson, Kathy Bates, Billy Bob Thornton
Starring: John Travolta, Emma Thompson, Kathy Bates, Billy Bob Thornton, Adrian Lester, Maura Tierney, Larry Hagman, Allison Janney, Paul Guilfoyle
Director: Mike Nichols
Director: Mike Nichols
Screenwriter: Elaine May
Producer: Mike Nichols
Reviews for Primary Colors
Nichols and May always were a great team, and here they deliver a film with political and social implications but they do not lose sight of the main game.
A savvy and thought-provoking look at the nature of contemporary American politics.
Travolta is amazingly Clintonesque as Stanton, a role that I never believed he could pull off.
The film owes a few doggie bones to "Wag the Dog," which came first in pointing out what Primary Colors only seconds.
Primary Colors successfully straddles the line between comedy and tragedy.
Primary Colors becomes a political morality play, and quite frankly, its mechanics cause it to crawl in across the finish line.
As satire, it's toothless and indulgent; as drama of conscience, it's not a patch on real life...
It used to be that we had to wait 20 years for the fictionalization of history -- now that gap seems to have closed to less than five years. Kinda sad. But also kinda entertaining!
John Travolta has himself a good deal of fun with his take-off on President Clinton.
an alarmingly topical comedy-drama that dredges up far more issues than it can address in its two-and-a-half hours. But give Nichols, writer Elaine May and everyone else an 'A' for effort.
John Travolta continues to establish himself as one of the best actors of the younger generation, and this may be his best job yet.
Mike Nichols and screenwriter Elaine May have produced one of the smartest, funniest political movies of the past 20 years.
The film asks if it matters if a man's got a questionable personal life if he's good at his job, and God knows this is a relevant question.
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