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Wag The Dog on DVD (1997)

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Average rating: 67%
1215620191946
3.0
from 1,073 members
 
Starring: Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, Anne Heche, Denis Leary, Woody Harrelson
Director: Barry Levinson
Studio: ENTERTAINMENT IN VIDEO
Run time: 93 mins
Certificate: 15
User collections: My Best Films, Films Worth Having A Heart Attack For, Best Films of the Last Ten Years, Part One: 1998
Genres: Comedy
Languages: English
Subtitles: English
Released: 21/05/1999

Brief synopsis of Wag The Dog

The president of the United States is caught up in a scandal so his White House advisor decides a war is needed to divert attention. Unfortunately there is no war - so they decide to fake one...

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Critics Reviews

Rating of 4 stars out of 5 Radio Times

Shot by Barry Levinson in a mere 29 days, this satire on the media and politics is a joy from start to finish. Just before an election, the US President is accused of molesting a teenage girl in the Oval Office. Keen to divert interest away from the scandal, he orders his spin doctors to come up with something quickly. In consultation with a Hollywood producer, they invent a war against Albania. Of course, it's pure fiction — things like that don't happen in real life, do they? Yet, Wag the Dog suddenly found itself mentioned every night on the news as an embattled President Clinton tackled the Kosovo crisis and embarrassing questions about Monica Lewinsky. Robert De Niro is creepily effective as the tweedy, faceless spin doctor hired by White House aide Anne Heche, but best of all is Dustin Hoffman, who gives a hilarious performance as the tanned Hollywood mogul.

New York Times

"...As scarily plausible as it is swift, hilarious and impossible to resist....Splendidly acted, written with biting acuity...and directed in discreetly sidesplitting fashion..."

Time Out

A sex scandal is about to break around the President, threatening to derail his re-election bandwagon less than two... Read more on www.timeout.com

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Members Reviews

Reviews Voted Most Helpful

Rated - 4 starsHoffman is a god

AlyT from Hertofrdshire , 07/01/2004

Apparently no studio wanted to touch this film because it was such a political hot potato...

So hoffman dipped into his own pockets, went it alone and produced this one himself.

You can see why the studios were nervous. This plot is almost biographical of Clinton and a bit of a few other presidents...maybe...if you believe the conspiracy theorists.

But the plot is feasible and well directed to produce a film that almost feels like real news.

Add to your queue for sure.

  7 out of 7 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 3 starsPolitical satire:

CheekyBEEF from The Midlands, England , 17/07/2004

This is a good piece of political satire. With snappy dialogue and sharp humour. The initial sexual infraction by the president at the start of the movie, that sets the ball rolling for a major political smoke screen that drives the rest of the movie, is an obvious dig at the Clinton/Lewinski scandal. Their are some funny performances throughout the movie, Dennis leary and Woody Harrelson crop up in two small but funny rolls. The standout performance though is definitely from Dustin Hoffman as a movie producer wanting to rekindle his reputation. He gets the funniest lines and really made the movie for me. Generally this is a sharp and witty movie, with echoes of the TV series The West Wing. Definitely worth checking out.

  5 out of 6 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 3 starsBELIEVE NO-ONE. THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE.

Norman Barry from Surrey, England. [Highly rated reviewer] , 12/01/2007

Classing this as a 'comedy' is rather misleading, particularly for the first half and hour or so. Once the pace picks up there are some satirical laughs, which turn to concerns as you start thinking that a stunt like this is not beyond the realms of possibility. Good performances from De Niro and Hoffman.

  4 out of 5 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 5 starsSuperb!

Marc Smith from Bishop Auckland , 28/07/2004

A wonderful, acidic satire on spin doctors and making good news out of bad, Levinson's film is an example of how it CAN all work when a ilm fits together well...the cast are flawless, the script tight and hilarious frequently, Levinson's direction was Oscar worthy in my humble opinion and even the sublime score by Mark Knopfler is a delight.

Hoffman and De Niro are standouts...boy, you can tell I like this film, can't you?

  3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
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Most Recent Reviews

Rated - 3 starsPolitical satire:

CheekyBEEF from The Midlands, England , 17/07/2004

This is a good piece of political satire. With snappy dialogue and sharp humour. The initial sexual infraction by the president at the start of the movie, that sets the ball rolling for a major political smoke screen that drives the rest of the movie, is an obvious dig at the Clinton/Lewinski scandal. Their are some funny performances throughout the movie, Dennis leary and Woody Harrelson crop up in two small but funny rolls. The standout performance though is definitely from Dustin Hoffman as a movie producer wanting to rekindle his reputation. He gets the funniest lines and really made the movie for me. Generally this is a sharp and witty movie, with echoes of the TV series The West Wing. Definitely worth checking out.

  5 out of 6 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 5 starsSuperb!

Marc Smith from Bishop Auckland , 28/07/2004

A wonderful, acidic satire on spin doctors and making good news out of bad, Levinson's film is an example of how it CAN all work when a ilm fits together well...the cast are flawless, the script tight and hilarious frequently, Levinson's direction was Oscar worthy in my humble opinion and even the sublime score by Mark Knopfler is a delight.

Hoffman and De Niro are standouts...boy, you can tell I like this film, can't you?

  3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
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