A widowed U.S. President and a lobbyist become a romantic item.
PLOT:
Andrew Shepherd (MICHAEL DOUGLAS) is the widowed President of the U.S. and Sydney Ellen Wade (ANNETTE BENING) is a lobbyist for an environmental concern. When she comes to the White House to shake things up, romantic sparks fly from Shepherd who then decides to ask her out. At first she's reluctant, as are Shepherd's aides, Chief of Staff A.J. MacInerny (MARTIN SHEEN) and the senior domestic policy advisor, Lewis Rothchild (MICHAEL J. FOX), but Shepherd eventually convinces Wade to go out with him. Soon, they're an item and she's sleeping over at the White House. This becomes ammo for Bob Rumson (RICHARD DREYFUSS), the Republican contender in the upcoming election. From then on, the couple must deal with Rumson, the press and their own doubts about their future together.
WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?
Teens might want to see it, but younger kids will not.
WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13
For some strong language.
CAST AS ROLE MODELS:
MICHAEL DOUGLAS plays the President who won't let the press and others govern his private life.
ANNETTE BENING plays a dedicated environmental lobbyist who sticks to her guns.
MARTIN SHEEN plays the President's best friend/advisor who's only looking out for Shepherd's best personal interests.
MICHAEL J. FOX plays an idealistic aide who speaks his mind whenever possible.
RICHARD DREYFUSS plays the hawk-like opponent who plays up Shepherd's romance to his advantage in the Presidential race.
Lewis, referring to a Congressman who finally decided how to vote, says, "He had to get the fence pole out of his butt."
Depending on your views this may or may not apply: Rumson digs up the story that Wade participated in an anti-apartheid flag burning protest some thirteen years before.
Rumson is on the attack all of the time and even makes up false accusations to better serve himself.
The "scratch my back, I'll scratch yours" behavior associated with exchanging votes in the political arena.
3 "f" words, 6 "s" words, 7 "ass" words, 6 damns, 5 hells, and one use each of "Christ," "For God's sake," and "For the love of Christ," as exclamations.
A.J., concerned over the President being scrutinized for dating, tells him they could get him a woman that no one would have to know about (i.e., a prostitute).
Thinking that she's talking to a crank caller, Sydney twice tells the President that he "has a nice ass."
Sydney's boss asks her if she slept with the President after their first date.
Shepherd tells Wade a story of why former First Ladies didn't have any problems having sex in the White House (they knew their husbands before they were in office -- compared to Sydney meeting Shepherd in office).
Sydney comes out of Shepherd's closet wearing nothing but a dress shirt of his.
Shepherd wants to make sure that Sydney understands that his title of "The most powerful man in the world" only applies to politics and not necessarily to his bedroom behavior.
The next morning, Sydney's still there, so they slept together and then proceed to do so throughout the rest of the movie (although nothing at all is seen).
Rumson and the press make a big deal of the romance: Rumson calls her the "first mistress" and accuses them of trading sexual favors for key votes. Also a TV show announces they'll have on their show a former classmate's of Sydney's, who "has intimate details" about her.
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