Bulworth

Rating:
Summary: Not for the politcally faint of heart
Review: First of all, let me state that while I liked this movie it does have many problems and I agree with the more intelligent negative reviews that it has received. But "Bulworth" appealed to me not so much because it provided the right answers but because it asked the right questions. It did so in a humorous, "no holds barred" fashion that is equally likely to alienate the right wing bigot as the politically correct campus moron.

"Bulworth" is about a politician whose failed personal life and hypocritical political one compels him to kill himself. He puts a contract out on his life and while he's waiting to be knocked off he's suddenly free to say whatever he wants.

And so he does. During a 72-hour insomnia marathon, Bulworth ditches his canned speeches, and sound bites and instead says what's really on his mind. He tells a black church that he doesn't really care about their vote because they are black. He tells a Jewish group that you can't run for office without appeasing the Jews. He drinks whiskey during a political debate and explains to the camera that he doesn't care. Sound like Jack Nicholoson is running for office? Not exactly. Bullworth also falls in love with a black woman and becomes exposed to a different world of rap clubs, armed kids selling drugs, and police brutality.

I can understand where a lot of reviewers got turned off here. Yes, the black gang leader and white racist cops are stereotypes. And yes, Bulworth's journey into this world is just too smooth and easy. But to the film's credit, real issues of racism, crime, and poverty are handled in a blunt unsentimental fashion that somehow avoids the in-your-face brutality that often comes with realism. When Bulworth intervenes to prevent youthful drug sellers from being bullied by the police his actions and motive come from practical benevolence instead of a self-righteous crusade.

One of the funniest and most powerful moments of the film occurs when Bulworth asks the armed prepubescent drug sellers "shouldn't you be eating ice cream instead of being out here?" In the next scene, Bulworth buys the kids-guns and all-ice cream cones. The film is telling us in the simplest and least didactic manner that these are just kids. They should be leading a normal child's life, not a life of crime.

Bulworth's relationship with various characters and the events that transpire are unbelievable to a large degree, but this isn't a documentary. It's a film that exposes a problem and raises questions about how to solve it. The problem is political hypocrisy. All of the politicians who are driven by corporate money and surveys have no interest in solving real problems. At the same time, the excuse of the crime boss, that at least he's providing children with some degree of wealth by employing them to sell drugs is exposed for the self-serving lie that it is.

At the end of the film, Bulworth doesn't save the world and things don't magically work out. Once he comes down from his insomnia and manic speech acts he has to face the world as an uniformed politician again. But his transformation is real. As he leaves the black woman's house looking almost ashamed to be there he turns and asks "are you coming?" Then he explains that he loves her but he's insecure about being White. He isn't' a superman whose been transformed by his experiences, but he has grown and one senses that whatever he does it will be a meaningful compromise between the sellout politics of his past and the shock value activities of his recent experiences. The black crime boss must also compromise if he is to truly change things in his neighborhood for the better. In order to make meaningful changes in his community, he must maintain his ruthless reputation to some degree, but now he dose so as a self-conscious facade.

I agree that Warren Beaty's rapping was sub par, but who cares? "Bulworth" makes a powerful statement that in order to transcend problems of crime, poverty, racism, and political corruption we are going to have to take a cold hard look at who we really are and what is really happening around us. Accepting other people--particularly from different racial and economic backgrounds--has to be more than just an insincere speech act. It must be an act of good will that is grounded in practical reality.

Rating:
Summary: Nervous breakdown?
Review: Political satires from "Wag the Dog" and"Primary Colors" to "Canadian Bacon" and"Dave" work because they do much to expose the hypocrasy of American politics. These movies make a mockery of the office of the President and we laugh and sometimes cringe when it bites too hard.quot;Bulworth" shoots for this type of humor.

So why not tell the ugly truth about everything while there's still time? Bulworth reveals insider secrets about how money and politics roll around in bed together in a capitalist society - how democracy, and equality are not the true goals of today's politicians. This is the strength of the movie.

But this is the weakness: Rather than stick to humor, "Bulworth" attempts suspense, action, drama, and romance at the same time. So, the viewer gets a convolution of "In the Line of Fire" and "Manchurian Candidate" along with "Menace to Society" and "The Bodyguard." It's too much and the movie becomes very bizarre and unfocused about midway.

It could have worked, but it didn't. The other movies that I named are much better. A note to Halle Berry: The role of ghetto-style, hoodrat has been worked to death with "Jungle Fever, Losing Isaiah, BAPS," and now "Bulworth." I realize it's hard to find positive roles to fill when Hollywood has a stereotypical view of Black women, but please try harder to represent. This was truly embarrassing to watch.

Rating:
Summary: What were they thinking?
Review: What were they thinking? Nevermind, it's actually pretty obvious.

Far from being the deft parody of modern civics that the producers obviously intended, this is an extremely silly movie that trivializes major problems, and frequently borders on being racist, classist, and anti-semitic.

One problem is that this was Warren Beatty's attempt at being "hip" and reaching out to a whole new generation. Well, I'm part of that generation and let me tell you that it just came out as being creepy and pathetic. Warren Beatty and Halley Berry? "Ew" on so many different levels. Warren Beatty being accepted as some sort of "brothah"? You've got to be kidding me. Warren Beatty rapping? Please, just kill me.

The other problem is that this movie attempts to address "problems" in a way that does nothing but rehash old stereotypes. This "inner city" was obviously dreamed up by an elderly woman from the midwest who has never actually met a black person, but has read books where she learned that some of them have hearts of gold and everyone else is a dangerous criminal intent on selling crack to five year olds.

There is a definate generation gap in who likes this movie and who does not. The young, socially aware people that I know think that this movie is paternalistic, insulting, and stupid: and that Warren Beatty should just deal with the fact that he is no longer Hollywood's #1 Heart-throb. My parents and their friends thought it was great and that Warren still has his old spark. Though even they admited that Warren and Halley was pretty "ew."

Rating:
Summary: The bravest American film in several years
Review: Warren Beatty hits it out of the park with "Bulworth," a film combining satire, drama and relevant political comment. We should have four or five films a year like this, like in the 70s with "Dog Day Afternoon," "All the President's Men," "Network." Instead, Beatty seems to be the only mainstream filmmaker who cares to comment on the quality of American life. The script is daring and shockingly funny. Beatty's raps are a real risk for a star of his stature--but damned if he doesn't pull them off. I understand that few people in the African American community saw this film when it was released. They should rent or buy it now: Beatty's message will knock their socks off. Actor, Director, Writer, Producer...and now he may run for President! Hey, we've done much worse in the past. Meanwhile, THIS MOVIE RULES!

Rating:
Summary: We're in real trouble
Review: Bulworth is ostensibly Warren Beatty's brave political satire in which a conservative senator suddenly starts liberally voicing those opinions that the rest of us are supposed to be thinking but are afraid to say. He tells a black church congregation to, "Put away the malt liquor and fried chicken and stop supporting running backs that stab their wives." If that's what you were thinking, you'll love this movie.
Otherwise, Bulworth is jaw droppingly bad. To take such a hight position as to attack Beatty for suggesting that black characters need a white powerbroking partriarch to come to his senses before their concerns can be publicly considered is to give Bulworth way more credit than it deserves. It's distinguished from movies that are simply "bad" through its inclusion on the short list of truly dangerous ones. Not content to be racism hiding in plain site, Bulworth's racism is disguised as its own solution. Drug dealers have their transactions justified as the only commercial avenue open to otherwise well-intended African-American youths. Nina (Halle Berry) articulates an informed point, and it's a joke because attractive young black women look funny when they talk smart, like high-grammar versions of Zip Coon. In so doing, Beatty reminds black Americans that no matter what they accomplish, we know who they really are.
However limited the potential of the opening premise (Bulworth plans his own assassination for insurance purposes before inevitably changing his mind), the film never approaches the kind of Farley Brotheresque world that would have been its natural destination. The sincerity of the politician's catharsis is hidden from us, both because his new outlook is originally motivated only by the insurance scam and because once Beatty starts rapping his lines, he NEVER stops, making the actor (as opposed to the character) look uncomfortable for the duration. That this movie lured audiences and critics into its didactic spell is astonishing.
The film's ambition to be more than a cute little movie while being exactly the opposite reminds this reviewer of Roberto Benigni's embarrassing "Life is Beautiful" from the year before. Both have to be seen to be believed.

Rating:
Summary: Satire at its Best
Review: Red state or blue state, if you have an open mind, you will enjoy this great satirical film. The laughs keep coming.

Rating:
Summary: Superb movie, lousy DVD. Where's Bulworth when you need him?
Review: The importance and relevance of "Bulworth" has only grown after the 2000 and 2004 election results and all the hypocritical hoopla about "decency" in the media.

Jay Bulworth is a man who's willing to speak his mind, truly support humane and democratic progressive ideals, and be offensive to BOTH conservatives and many liberals.

Bulworth works both as a movie and the image of an ideal candidate because Warren Beatty didn't flinch from taking on sacred cows. He insults African Americans who blindly support OJ Simpson and need to "put down their chicken and malt liquor." He even goes after rich Hollywood Jewish producers. It is highly amusing that conservatives would hate this movie so much. Perhaps it is because Beatty has given us an example of a liberal who could actually win elections?

In a post 2004 election world Bulworth is a cathartic escape. Forget the slimy politicians of the DLC (Democratic Leadership Council) or the blindly ideological liberal activist base who don't have a clue about electoral politics. Here's a man who states the truth and STILL supports progressive goals.

In one interview after Bulworth was released in theaters Beatty commented that the film had only one ending and nothing else was possible. Ultimately, the old adage: "the charismatic liberal leader will always be destroyed." Given the lack of heroic leadership within the Democratic Party it's hard to say if this the truth or not - we simply don't have any examples!

Bulworth will no doubt go down in history as one of the best politically progressive films ever made. Yes, it's that good. Not despite Beatty's old white man rapping persona - perhaps because of it.

While the film is destined to be a classic, this DVD is a severe disappointment. How could a movie with so much social and political importance have no DVD extras? There's not even a commentary track let alone a behind the scenes documentary! It's possible that the studios were simply trying to be as apolitical as possible. A recent re-release of "Three Kings" (another superb liberal film) excluded a documentary by director David Russell because it was supposedly too political. So perhaps the studios are willing to sell us these liberal movies. They just aren't willing to allow their makers to come forward and state their political views. Alas, it makes for a very poor DVD.

Rating:
Summary: Common Thread of Disapproval
Review: Of the reviews highlighted on the Amazon front page for Bulworth, I couldn't help but noticing that the negative ones were predominately from the American South. I, as I also happen to be half black and am from Minnesota, despise rap music, and am often scared by full members of my black half, yet I found this movie enjoyable for other reasons. Bulworth shows shows that the reason so few, if any, movies based on politicians are about Republicans. Some of the greater movies are used to make the masses feel better after watching. If Bulworth was as conservative as he was liberal, he couldn't get away with his polka-fication of a flat tax proposal since 1: Polka is horrible, and 2: same reason for the flat tax. I would rather hear a man rap about the lower cost of government funded health care, Federal funding for candidates so they don't rely upon businesses, and the still visible social and economic restraints upon blacks...even blacks in Minnesota.

Rating:
Summary: Tells it like it is
Review: Films dealing with politics in Washington, DC, don't do well at the box office because, I guess, folks don't want to know what's really going on. But this film tells it like it really is more than any other film ever done. This is a cariacature, to be sure, but it reveals it like it really is. Of all the political films Hollywood has ever made, this is the one to watch. I could have done without the obscentities, but they fit here, because the real obscenity is what the politicians of both parties are doing to this country.

Rating:
Summary: Horrible
Review: Simply dreadful. I can usually finish watching most movies even I find them unappealing after I while, in the hopes of finding some redeeming qualities. But I could not finish this utter piece of crap! Beatty rapping is too annoying to be described and the script does little with an idea that could have went somewhere. Yuck!