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Review

A blistering, hilarious, razor-sharp social comedy which takes aim at American politics and political correctness and skewers them both with equal contempt and veracity, Bulworth hits new heights in American political comedies. With his best film since Reds, Beatty has taken his well-known penchant for politics and (even at the risk of biting the hands that feed him) has fashioned a frontal assault on the contemporary political scene. Beatty is Senator Jay Bulworth: Democrat, near financial ruin, and in the midst of a nervous breakdown. It's just days before the 1996 California primaries, and the suicidal Bulworth has hired an assassin to kill him. But before the inevitable hit happens, Bulworth's sleepless, alcohol-driven delirium has an unexpected effect and he starts shooting from the hip, telling the truth and spouting un-PC remarks to and about one and all. In remarkable, non-gimmicky set pieces of rap and rhyme which escalate in brilliantly written and performed barrages, Bulworth discovers a voice inside him which gives him the will to live -- but is it too late? Not merely content to just poke fun with an insider's wink of an eye, Beatty tackles themes and says truths which will undoubtedly ruffle some, but underneath it all there's no denying that his is a voice which is clear and assured. Beatty's performance is an absolute marvel; he's never been this funny, and his dramatic instincts serve him well. Platt is terrific as the senator's harried aide. No tail wagging this dog, Bulworth is an original.