Review of All the King's Men (2006) by David S — 10 Jan 2011

I won't sit here and say it's a masterpiece but the way it was received is totally ridiculous. With a cast like this everyone's expectations are obviously very high and perhaps Zaillian misjudged that, but he does a fine job to create a film with stunning art direction, a great screenplay and some of the most under appreciated acting of the century so far.

Jude Law's work is fantastic, as is Hopkins, Winslet and every other actor but it's Sean Penn full-blown attack on politics that makes this as great as it is. The film's narrative may be a bit of a mystery at times, but not enough to destroy it, and the conclusion is perfectly executed.

An exquisite picture that should not have been hated by 80% plus mainstream critics.