12/18/96

When Hollywood goes to Washington, it typically does so with flourishes of bulletproof motorcades, abundant shots of every monument you can name, and grand gusts of martial music. Scandals in the Oval Office, news crews on the rampage, corruption and coverups, and the undying question, "Why doesn't the government work for the people?" If it's a comedy, pepper it with jokes about party-politics, lampoons of administrations current and past and presidential characters lanced from their high horses.

This is what I expected from MY FELLOW AMERICANS and indeed this is what it delivered. The old is old as ever and the new didn't particularly thrill me.

Jack Lemmon plays Republican past-President Russell Kramer; James Garner plays Democrat past President Matt Douglas. Each had a chance in the Oval Office at the other's expense. Each would like a chance at the other's throat. Kramer beat Douglas, then Douglas beat Kramer, then Kramer's VP, Haney (played by Dan Akroyd), beat Douglas. The story begins in earnest during Haney's third year in office, when one of Haney's indiscretions as VP threatens his re-election campaign. With a wink to his Chief of Staff and a turn of the plausibly deniable shoulder, he orders the scandal pinned on Kramer.

As soon as Douglas hears that Kramer was involved in wrong-doings, he takes the task of getting the goods on his old foe. He doesn't realize that digging into the scandal means he may end up knowing too much. When Haney's NSA agents try to ice both ex-presidents, the unlikely allies begin a journey to clear Kramer's name and stay alive.

Up until the murders and attempted murders begin, MY FELLOW AMERICANS does a nice job of depicting what life can be like for former "leaders of the free world." Kramer milks his status for every personal appearance, endorsement and product spin-off he can get, just as he squeezed every penny in the Federal budget. Douglas has perfected the art of dodging his Secret Service escorts to get some time alone... with his mistresses.

Once the mayhem begins, though, attempts at realism fall to the wayside and all that remains to make this movie interesting are the humor and the action-suspense. Unfortunately, the action isn't anything special and the humor is of TV-sitcom grade. Political jokes seem lifted from the wastebaskets of "Murphy Brown." Other gags rely too much on the Presidents awkwardness in the America that exists beyond the Beltway and the golf course.

The good thing about these jokes is that they come one on top of the other. With a fire rate like that, something has to hit. And, occasionally, I would laugh. But the rest of the time, I felt I was simply being pelted.

Lemmon and Garner have the necessary charisma for the roles, but the portrayals don't stretch beyond anything they've done before. In fact, President Kramer didn't seem too different from John in the GRUMPY OLD MEN movies or even Felix in THE ODD COUPLE. And if you saw Garner in MAVERICK with Mel Gibson, you'll recognize the nettlesome Marshall Zane Cooper in President Douglas.

If you're a Dan Akroyd fan, don't bother with this one. He has a total of maybe 3 pages of dialog and even fewer funny lines. His George Bush-like character is not meant to be funny. Fortunately, his Dan Quaylesque Vice President (played by John Hurt) is. Hurt is hilarious in his handful of scenes -- which total approximately two minutes of screen time.

MY FELLOW AMERICANS does not stink on ice. I've seen a lot worse. But there are so many better films out there now, why bother? It may be worth a video rental, particularly if you think "Hail To The Chief" is one rocking tune.

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