Bulworth

SYNOPSIS
A surprisingly entertaining political comedy that features a funny and magnetic Beatty as the discouraged politician Bulworth, who has organized his own assassination but, after a three day bender of not sleeping, decides that he wants to live after all

Review By Blake French:
- Who said they don't make 'em like they used to?

I have seen lots of movies in my time, but I can’t remember screening anything as witty, as twisted, as entertaining, as outrageous, or as original as Warren Beatty’s new political satire recently. It is called "Bulworth," and at times, it is funny, but at others, very dark. I can’t recall stating that a "serious comedy," is one of the years best films before. That was then, this is now--and "Bulworth" is truly one of the better comedies of 1998.

As the movie opens, a United States senator named Jay Billington Bulworth, hires a hit man to kill someone of his needs. The hit man wonders exactly who this person is that a man of such power wishes to eliminate. As it turns out, Bulworth has paid this hit man to kill his own suicidal self. "If I’m not dead by Monday, I’m canceling that check." Bulworth states firmly.

This is where the outrageous satire material starts. During a campaign speech at a local African American church, Bulworth goes seemingly nuts. He begins to tell the citizens truthful responses about subjects in congress that most politicians would never think of revealing to the general public. His representative, Dennis Murphy, who only cares about getting Bulworth elected, almost collapses in shock and disbelief. But you have to understand, these are the last days that Bulworth will be alive, so why not reveal secrets, release envelop pushing information, and start up controversy with the nation.

"Never make life or death decisions when you’re suicidal," explains Bulworth during one of the film’s more invigoration sequences. He is talking to a woman named Nina, whom he met nonchalantly during one of his presentation speeches. The two of them fall for each other. Too bad Bulworth has not taken his own advice typed above; his demise is frighteningly near. But is Nina who she appears to be? Is his wife, Constance Bulworth, having an affair with another man? Is Bulworth’s death going to occur? These are all reasonable questions that are answered when you see the movie.

Parts of the film do not work. For instance, the subplot involving Bulworth’s wife who is adulterous just isn’t detailed enough, nor are the characters introduced, for us to even consider this anything but a gimmick. True, the affair does symbolize chaos preoccupied in his household, and establishes another reason for him to be suicidal. Still, it’s too small for a movie that offers so many good qualities.

"Bulworth" has a detailed opening that provokes empathy for the main character, Jay Bulworth. We learn of an external problem, Jay being involved in a heated presidential campaign, and an internal problem, Jay being suicidal and calling a hit on himself. The structure only increases in tension from there. Both conflicts are evolved, with Nina, Bulworth’s sense of honesty, the hit man’s presence, and several character & plot twists in which someone is not who they appear to be.

Along with some very dramatic and meaningful moments found in "Bulworth," also contained is dialogue that is smart, witty, and hilarious. The first shock sequence is truly outrageous, and the film’s moderately aggressive sense of eagerness only gets more perverse; the film is rated R for appropriate reasons, mostly coming from Bulworth’s living style he becomes involved with. The situations we face here are quite controversial, but Warren Beatty directs the film with a certain humorous touch. He uses effective but bizarre camera angles, and a hip cinematographer who creates aggressive chemistry between Beatty and Halle Berry during their "party animal" scenes together.

The performances in "Bulworth" entirely demonstrate that Warren Beatty is not only able to direct, write and produce well, but also that capable to lead an all star cast, including Don Cheadle, Oliver Platt, Isaiah Washington, and Christine Baranski, into an Oscar worthy overall appearance. All of these things contribute to making "Bulworth" one of the better films of 1998, and I recommend it highly.