The American President: Critic Reviews

The image of a chief executive as moonstruck single guy taps something buoyant and touching in our collective democratic imagination. And Douglas, wearing a fast-break smile in place of his usual frown, strikes a tender rapport with Bening...

With great looks, a dandy supporting cast, a zinger-filled screenplay by Aaron Sorkin and Mr. Douglas twinkling merrily in the Oval Office, The American President is sunny enough to make the real Presidency pale by comparison.

A super cast injects it with Teddy Roosevelt vitality.

Frothy.

A well-modulated charmer.

Great entertainment.

Apart from its too-obvious political bias, The American President has romance in its heart, smarts in abundance and class to spare.

Genial middlebrow fare that coasts a long way on the charm of its two stars.

The American President becomes a pretty darn entertaining and affecting movie after its first simpering 20 minutes.

When it comes right down to it, high office does not guarantee high comedy.

Painless fun.

The American President will make you laugh and make you smile. But it probably won't make you change your vote.

You can't dislike this movie, but you won't be swept away by it either.

Neither bad nor unwatchable, The American President is nevertheless the second straight disappointment from director Rob Reiner.

As bustling and impassioned as the best Sturges and Capra movies.

Genial and entertaining if not notably inspired.

Witty, wise, and idealized political romance.

as the 1995 film veers away from the romance, into definable (and dated) political issues, it loses some of its magic.

Part romantic comedy, part Capra-corny political drama, this movie exudes so much sympathy, it sweats.

A potentially good adult romance is undone by a preachy left-wing agenda.

Sorkin starts his West Wing warm-up with a winning political rom-com.

Glorious romantic comedy.