Review of Primary Colors (1998) by Joe B — 19 Oct 2008

This is one of the best political "satires" I have ever seen. The film chronicles the political campaign of an unknown Southern governor who is obviously modeled from Bill Clinton. The film is based on the novel by Joe Klein, who followed Clinton during his campaign.

The film portrays a savvy and brilliant politician who had tremendous character flaws. It shows his numerous affairs in the few months that the film covers, without even going back to when he was governor or talking about Monica Lewinski.

The characters in "Primary Colors" are all unique and far from stock characters. The fact that they are based on real people shows that. I especially applaud Billy Bob Thornton and Kathy Bates in their roles in the movie.

This is a really enjoyable film to watch. And this is coming from a man who really can't stand Bill Clinton. Like him or not, he is an interesting figure in history. Someone who was intellectually brilliant, but had deep personal issues that he could not hide in the political realm.

Although it is kind of adult, there is something in it for most people. There is humor as well as some very dark moments. Overall, I was profoundly impressed with "Primary Colors.".