The American President


A wonderful feel-good romantic comedy of the 1990s…which was a decade of some of the best (When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, etc.). But, it also answers the question…what would a single (or divorced, widowed) president do if they wanted to start dating while in office? Here, President Shepherd meets someone he’s interested in and thinks he can just start dating…like he’s a regular guy. But, he isn’t...he’s the President. And, he picks someone tough and opinionated and stubborn…lobbyist Sydney Ellen Wade, who at first, finds all of the attention (from him and from the nation) sweet but then it begins to grate on her, especially when it starts affecting her career. One of the things that really makes this one stand out among all of the other “rom coms” is the cast. Bening and Douglas are just perfect together…both when things are good and when things are problematic. They exude chemistry…we can really see these two people together. Romantic comedies are usually unrealistic in their simplicity, so having good, solid characters helps make the story a success. And this one is more than successful…it shines!

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