About as politically incorrect as one would imagine a mainstream film in today's society could be, or would dare to be, Warren Beatty's "Bulworth" is not only outrageously insensitive, but it's also quite funny. Featuring witty and extremely "blackened" satirical jabs at a wide variety of issues such as politics, racial relations, ethnicity and plenty of other topics sure to offend those who take life a bit too seriously, this film will certainly draw its share of rants and raves from all walks of life.
To get a feel of where this sociopolitical comedy is coming from, one should first imagine a combination of the films "Primary Colors" and "Liar, Liar." In one, a politician's errant and often scandalous behavior drives his handlers crazy and threatens his candidacy, while the other features a man who suddenly can't tell a lie. Picture then a politician who suddenly begins to speak his mind unabashedly and you've got the potential for some seriously funny barbs at the world of politics.
Beatty ("Heaven Can Wait," "Reds") as co-writer, director, and title performer, however, doesn't just go for the easy laughs at the expense of expected targets. Instead, he takes his seemingly deranged democratic Senator character to a completely different, and deeper, level. Disillusioned and suicidal over his political career and his preposterous campaign ads (that repeatedly state, "We stand on the doorstep of the new millennium") and affected by a lack of rest and nourishment, Bulworth suddenly pops a gasket and completely (and near inexplicably) changes his behavior.
Yet, where Fletcher Reid -- Jim Carrey's character in "Liar, Liar" -- was appalled at his sudden honesty, Beatty's Bulworth revels in his. Able to openly speak his mind for the first time in his career, the character not only spills the beans about his own beliefs and the reality of the political machine, but also skewers media moguls, the insurance industry, and pretty much anyone else deemed self-important. Along the way, he suddenly becomes a party hound, chases after a young inner city woman, but generally unnerves his staff with his no holds barred speeches.
Addressing the congregation of an inner-city, African American church, Bulworth responds to a woman's question about why he hasn't helped them. First stating that it's because she and the others haven't contributed any money to his campaign, he then adds that if they (the African Americans) don't cut down on the chicken wings, malt liquor, and supporting running backs who kill their wives, they'll never get rid of someone like him. Later, the loose cannon belittles a predominantly Jewish Hollywood gathering, and in a self-referential jab at his own industry, Beatty has his character slam movie makers for continually putting out such a bad product.
Obviously, one's appreciation of that "humor" -- like beauty -- lies in the eye (and funny bone) of the beholder, but there are other funny moments that aren't as offensive. Although he hired the hit on himself, Bulworth always panics whenever he hears any loud sound -- a motorcycle backfiring, for instance -- and immediately heads for the hills or ducks for cover. At other moments, Beatty's Hollywood handsomeness -- still apparent through his character's constantly disheveled appearance -- gets him mistaken for Clint Eastwood and then George Hamilton (who has a brief cameo to add another zinger to the moment).
Even so, as director and writer and working with co-writer Jeremy Pisker ("The Lemon Sisters"), Beatty occasionally goes a bit too far with the comic material. While Bulworth's newfound talent of rapping is initially funny, the fact that his character continually does so makes that "act" somewhat laborious and begins to push the film into the realm of surrealism. Likewise, brief and spontaneous speeches by several characters don't exactly fit with their overall behavior (such as Halle Berry's Nina suddenly spouting off about the relationship between politics and historical events on black social movements as if she were a college professor).
As the title character, Beatty creates an amusingly complex political persona. Playing off the befuddled characters he's occasionally inhabited over the years, Beatty is completely believable as a man on the fast track to lunacy. Along the way, he appears to being having a blast playing such a character and seems to revel in the chance of not being his usual glamour boy self. Instead, he's usually disheveled -- and in one quite funny scene, dons the garb of a "rapper" (that has to be seen to be fully appreciated).
Beatty gets a mixed bag of results regarding his supporting characters, but for the most part they're quite good. The only disappointment has to be Halle Berry ("The Rich Man's Wife"), who isn't given much to do other than alternate between being seductive and coy (when not delivering the above mentioned, out of character speech). Much more effective is Oliver Platt ("A Time To Kill") as Bulworth's chief of staff. Watching his boss' and his own political careers going down the tubes (or so he thinks for most of the movie), Murphy slowly begins to lose his mind just like the Senator seemingly has, and it's fun watching this "painful," but humorous transformation.
Although it would have been nice had Beatty stuck with the political and social jabs instead of occasionally dipping into slapstick material (running from hitmen, etc...), that would have been a tough act to sustain for an entire movie. Besides, such moments do give the film some humorous diversity (including a very funny scene where Bulworth finds himself in one of those low-rider cars that bounce up and down on the street).
Additionally, I personally could have done without the repetitious rapping that not only gets old after a while, but also (and probably intentionally) shows that Beatty, as an older white man, doesn't have the rhythm to carry off the act. Even so, the film has quite a bit of bite to it, especially when leveling the political playing field, and it should be required viewing for anyone interested in becoming a politician, or for those just interested in the often zany world of politics. We give "Bulworth" a 7 out of 10.