The Special Relationship.

mobertol · 21-10-2011, 19:00

Watched this film with interest yesterday on SKY.

Martin Sheen is Tony Blair again, along with Cherie and Alastair as already seen in "The Queen" -makes it instantly recogniseable. Dennis Quaid is passable as Clinton but is not sleazy enough for me. The actress who plays Hillary is very good.

The story charts the special relationship from "friendly pup" Tony's first visit to the Whitehouse, pre-election, through the Lewinsky scandal, Kosovo and Serbia to the fall of Clinton and Tony's first meeting as fully fledged "Lap dog" of GWBush Jr.

Comic early scene shows Alastair, Tony and an aide clambering over each other in the back of the car as they realise the door will be opened on the opposite side - and Tony has to get out first!

Some great one-liners especially at the beginning of the film:
Clinton tells Tony :
" It's a hell of a lot easier to change what your party stands for...than what people want" (The birth of New labour?)

"Tony, please" - shades of "Call me Dave".

Clinton's " If you need me just pick up the phone" - very cosy.

Clinton invites Tony to the Whitehouse thinking it will push him over the line in the British elections - (if true, how presumptuous!)

It all catches the buzz and "Spin" of the era....seems so long ago.

One last quote of Blairs WRT The EU :
"Je suis European, J' etait European, Je sarei European!"

Perhaps he thought it meant " I came, I saw, I conquered!"

Even though there are no surprises I can recommend the film, it'll remind you of the "old days".