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The online film magazine Combustible Celluloid offers new movie reviews, DVD reviews, film reviews, actor interviews, actress interviews, director interviews, film books and all things cinema related for the thoughtful and passionate. Online for ten years! Over 3000 reviews!

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Man of the Year (2006)

Rating: 2 Stars (out of 4)

Prez Your Luck

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

Buy Man of the Year on DVD

Barry Levinson's comedy plucks elements from Warren Beatty's Bulworth (1998) as well as from previous Levinson films, Good Morning, Vietnam (1987) and Wag the Dog (1997), but ultimately disappoints. Robin Williams plays a Jon Stewart-like political comedian who decides to run for president. Laura Linney co-stars as a programmer for a big computer company, which designed a faulty new computer ballot. Though poised as a lively, vicious satire, the movie quickly backs down, worrying instead about delivering "likeable" characters, a typical three-act story and a silly romantic payoff. American politics gets off easy; even Chris Rock's Head of State (2003) had more guts. Christopher Walken co-stars, and it's good to see Jeff Goldblum dominating his precious few scenes, and providing the film's only real malice.

Starring: Robin Williams, Christopher Walken, Laura Linney, Lewis Black, Jeff Goldblum, David Alpay, Tina Fey
Written by: Barry Levinson
Directed by: Barry Levinson
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for language including some crude sexual references, drug related material, and brief violence
Running Time: 115 minutes
Date: October 13, 2006