← Back to results
The American President
1995 113 min United States of America PG-13 16+
★7.4
Drama, Romance
Director: Rob Reiner
Trailers
EN
EN
EN
Description
Widowed U.S. president Andrew Shepherd, one of the world's most powerful men, can have anything he wants -- and what he covets most is Sydney Ellen Wade, a Washington lobbyist. But Shepherd's attempts at courting her spark wild rumors and decimate his approval ratings.
Budget:
$62M
US Gross:
$60.08M
Worldwide:
$107.88M
Starring
Michael Douglas
Actor
Annette Bening
Actor
Martin Sheen
Actor
Awards
Golden Globe 1996
— Best Director
Golden Globe 1996
— Best Picture (Comedy or Musical)
Academy Awards 1996
— Best Score for a Comedy or Musical
Golden Globe 1996
— Best Actor (Comedy or Musical)
Golden Globe 1996
— Best Actress (Comedy or Musical)
Golden Globe 1996
— Best Screenplay
Key opinion
The American President is widely celebrated as a charming, well-acted blend of political satire and romantic melodrama. While critics and audiences alike admire the charismatic chemistry between the leads and the sharp writing, the film is viewed as a lighthearted, aspirational take on executive life that values emotional resonance over gritty political realism.
| Acting | Michael Douglas and Annette Bening deliver magnetic performances that provide the essential emotional anchor for the film. | |
| Screenplay | Aaron Sorkin's screenplay expertly weaves together personal romance and the public pressures of the presidency. | |
| Humor | The film succeeds as an uplifting, warm, and moderately humorous take on the romantic comedy genre. | |
| Ending | The final speech serves as an effective and powerful climax to the film’s central narrative arc. | |
| Theme | Views on the political realism are divided; some appreciate the focus on humanizing the office, while others feel it treats politics as a mere backdrop to a standard romance. |