Primary Colors (1998)

Director: Mike Nichols

Writers: Joe Klein, Elaine May

Composer: Ry Cooder

Starring: John Travolta, Emma Thompson, Billy Bob Thornton, Kathy Bates, Adrian Lester, Maura Tierney, Larry Hagman, Diane Ladd, Paul Guilfoyle, Rob Reiner, Robert Klein

More info: IMDb

Tagline: What went down on the way to the top.

Plot: A man joins the political campaign of a smooth-operator candidate for president of the USA.

My rating: 8/10

Will I watch it again? Yes.

I have no idea why this is listed on IMDb (and elsewhere) as a comedy.  It's a political drama with some humor sprinkled into the first and second acts.  The final act is pure drama.  I saw this shortly after it was released and I didn't pick it up again until just now.  It's a fantastic picture with a great cast and a superb story and screenplay.  It's tight and Kathy Bates is in top form.  Travolta does a great job, too, as Jack Stanton (clearly modeled after Bill Clinton).  His own voice has a similar feel to Clinton's and it's kind of odd that he'd play the role with the Clinton voice.  We all know who he's supposed to be.  Still, he does a fine job with the role and it's one of my favorite performances he's made. The Universal DVD has an anamorphic widescreen print and the only extra (besides silly text bios and such) is a non-anamorphic theatrical trailer.