Joe Barber Reviews “All The Kings Men”

by Joe Barber on Sep.23, 2006, under Joe Barber's Movie Reviews

MOVIE REVIEW: ALL THE KING’S MEN

The ability of power to corrupt even the most decent and humble of men has long provided grist for some of America’s most talented writers. Robert Penn Warren won a Pulitzer Prize for his compelling tale of Willie Stark, the fictional governor of Louisiana who tried to ride a populist facade to the White House. Warren’s “All The King’s Men” was made into a superior, Oscar-winning political film drama in the 1950’s. Now Steve Zallian, the outstanding screenwriter of “Schindler’s List” and writer/director of “Searching For Bobby Fischer,” has delivered a new version of this story to the screen. Despite a tremendously talented cast, something is missing.

Sean Penn plays Stark, a small time parish politician who attracts the attention of reporter Jack Burton (Jude Law) when he takes a principled stand on a school construction contract. Stark is forced from office for standing up to a money grab by a corrupt board. When the school’s fire escape collapses, killing several children, Stark becomes a local hero. Approached by the right-hand man (James Gandolfini) of the party bosses, Willie is convinced to run for governor. When he discovers he’s being used to split the rural and poor vote, he takes matters into his own hands, declaring himself a hick who’ll take care of the hicks.”

Though the well-to-do consider him a grubby opportunist, Stark clicks with the voters and wins in a landslide, with a fascinated and amused Burton covering every detail. Willie’s raw charm leads him into trouble with the legislature, which blocks all of his plans for the poor. Fighting back, he enlists the help of a seemingly reluctant Jack to discover dirt on the wealthy power brokers standing in his way. His investigations leads to a bitter and defining conflict with Jack’s mentor and boyhood best friend one that will leave no one untouched. Penn gives us a Willie lacking the force of nature power that drove Broderick Crawford’s Oscar-winning turn as Willie. He seems to be going for a mix of down home crudeness and sly charm. It works for the most part.

What seems to be lacking is Zellian’s ability to or interest in building a convincing framework for Willie’s change in nature. Too many key plot turns take place off screen or are described by Law in voiceover narration. As a director, Zallian doesn’t mine the wealth of talent he’s gathered as deeply as he should. Mark Ruffalo, Patricia Clarkson and Kate Winslet just seem to pass through the film, each having a moment or two to shine, the quickly shuffled off-stage. Only Anthony Hopkins, as Law’s mentor, gets the room to craft a full supporting role.

What’s frustrating about this “All The King’s Men” is not that it’s a bad film-it isn’t. The amount of talent in front of and behind the camera keep it from becoming terrible. The problem is it never reaches the level of quality its cast and director seem to promise it could be.

:MPAA RATING: PG-13 for profanity, violence and sexual situations JOE’S RATING: THREE STARS..