Review of Wag the Dog (1997) by Itamar K — 06 Jan 2010
A great cast, a good story and tons of wasted potential; Wag the Dog should have been a classic but it isn't. The satire in this movie is spot on, and it seems to be becoming more relevant each day (was it really released before Bush days?!) but the writing just isn't strong enough, and Barry Levinson isn't good enough to pull the whole thing together. More importantly, it falls in the cracks between comedy and drama, taking itself too seriously one moment and then not seriously enough the next, yet it's never actually funny.
There's a lot to like here - especially thanks to the cast. Every dialog between De Niro and Hoffman - I'll say it, the two greatest American living actors - is sublime, as is a brilliant cameo from Willie Nelson. That's enough to make it entertaining, but it's not enough to make an impcat. You'll enjoy the movie, but you won't remember it, and for that reason the point it makes is completely futile.
This review of Wag the Dog (1997) was written by Itamar K on 06 Jan 2010.
Wag the Dog has generally received positive reviews.
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