Review of Knife Fight (2013) by Andy G — 02 Jun 2013

If you look up Harold Lasswell's definition of politics, it will tell you that politics is defined by who gets what, when, and how. Granted, politics was a bit different back in the 1930s and 40s when Lasswell was doing his work - but the principal that he defined still stands true today. The word "politics" is and will (probably) forever be linked to corruption and greed - along with affairs, murder, and any other crime that has been committed by politicians over the years. The bad politicians that have abused their power and standing in the world over the course of human history have given nearly all politicians a bad name - yet not every politician is bad. Despite their personal struggles and shortcomings, men like Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and John F. Kennedy are some of the United States' most adored individuals and considered to have been masters at the art of politicking - so occasionally politics can give people a bad rap simply by association. In the recently released political drama, Knife Fight - juggling politics and personal lives takes center stage, along with the maneuverability involved with executing a successful political campaign.

Knife Fight stars former West Wing actor Rob Lowe as he returns to the semi-fictitious political scene. Paul Turner (Lowe) is a successful campaign strategist running three campaigns at once and with the help of his assistant Kerstin (Jamie Chung), Turner must navigate a Kentucky governor, a California senator, and a doctor turned candidate through the nastiness that accompanies political campaigns. Spinning news cycles to his will, Turner uses his connections and political savvy to walk the fine line of fighting dirty to keep his candidates clean - or as he puts it: "bring a gun to a knife fight." Knife Fight features a star-studded supporting cast, including Carrie-Anne Moss, Julie Bowen, Richard Schiff, and Jennifer Morrison.

Since Lowe has returned to the role of a political strategist, it's only logical to compare this new role to his role on The West Wing - a role that arguably brought him to the height of his success and popularity. As in The West Wing, Lowe is smooth with his deliveries and plays an easily likeable character in a career that makes him question the morality of his actions. Rarely making a mistake, Lowe's character is methodical in his execution and is relentless - while occasionally overly smug with his political maneuvers. Obviously, Rob Lowe is already well-rounded on the inner workings of playing a character in politics - and does such an ambitious job at it that it's difficult to tell his Paul Turner/Sam Seaborn characters apart.

Lowe is clearly the only shining star in this low-budget, nearly TV-worthy film. While several characters play pivotal parts in the film, there is very little memorable acting to be found - mainly due to the poor writing, and being forced to hastily tell a complex story when it deserved more depth. However, the film's memorability comes in the form of a reunion that many of us have been patiently awaiting for far too long - so, for the West Wing fans out there, you're in for a MASSIVE treat. Knife Fight reunites Lowe with his former West Wing cast-mate, Richard Schiff. Lowe and Schiff share several screens together that will bring about a severe case of nostalgia. Their chemistry - stemming from their work on The West Wing - feels so incredibly natural in this film that it will almost feel like a waste, due largely in part to the already mentioned lackluster writing. Regardless, this film will leave you wanting to pop in one of those old West Wing seasons to relive the better times.

The bottom line: nobody will blame you if you completely skip this one. Only West Wing fans need not miss it.