Wag the Dog

Pros: acting, dry sarcastic humor
Cons: too close to the truth at times

When I come across a movie that manages to sarcastically poke at our reality, usually I find it quite funny. However, in a day and age where manipulation of the public by advertising agencies is so prevalent, I find it sad that people are so easily ...

Pros: Excellent acting throughout
Cons: The awesome parts add up to a good, but not great, whole

Art Imitating Life?

Wag the Dog is a Political Satire adapted from the American Hero, a novel which theorizes that George Bush started the Gulf War to counteract the “wimp image” he was suffering from. The final screenplay,...

Pros: on target message about media and politics, funny script
Cons: not hilarious

In honor of the upcoming election, I am writing about a movie with a political theme every week until the election occurs. This week I viewed Wag The Dog, an amusing and cynical movie about the media and politics - and how vulnerable we are to...

Pros: A subtle masterpiece ; Carefully written and well acted
Cons: Bad title

All the action in this picture takes the form of non-stop dialogue. If you’re looking for neat explosions or lots of gratuitous nude scenes, this is not the picture for you. But if you’re looking for one of the funniest political satires out there,...

Pros: Insightful view of media manipulation...
Cons: Didn't get enough box-office respect...

"Wag The Dog" is a fascinating look at the potential of the public relations industry within the political realm. Although the ethical approach went far beyond the pale of industry standards, the film gave us a chillingly accurate depiction of...

Pros: see review
Cons: see review

Satirical films usually fall into one of two categories: 1) long-term satire where everything, including the jokes, is somehow related on a large scale (i.e. "Dr. Strangelove"; 2) situation satire in which the comedy and themes are derived...

Pros: Worth watching. Good story. Great talent.
Cons: Falls short in convincing me.

I wanted to see this film in the theaters, but that is a rare treat (movie-going) and I didn't get the chance. We rented it recently and looked forward to a good show, since the reviews were good, history has certainly played an interesting supporting...

Pros: OK concept
Cons: everything else

After reading all the rave reviews on the first page I know I am in the minority on this one. I thoroughly disliked this movie. No. Dislike is not strong enough. I will go as far as Detest. I am not sure why this bland little silly film provoked...

Pros: TWO OF THE BEST ACTORS AROUND.
Cons: COULD OF HAD MORE PLOT.

Wag The Dog (1997)

3.5/5.



DIRECTOR: Barry Levinson (Diner (1982);Rain Man(1987)

Cast: Robert Deniro, Dustin Hoffman, Anne Heche, Woody...

Pros: A good, not great film. Worth a second look
Cons: DVD extras - complete waste of time. Skip them.

This movie got overwhelmed by events. It was released virtually simultaneously with when the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal first broke. Some parallels are deeply profound, others merely eerie: the photo of the movie's President with the girl scout he...

Pros: Barry Levinson is truly inspired.
Cons: This film cuts awfully close to the bone.

Wicked. That is the primary, and most descriptive, word that comes to mind when I think about WAG THE DOG. This tour de force is wickedly, darkly, strikingly funny. This is what satire is supposed to do. It mimics real life so closely that it mirrors...

Pros: cast, story
Cons: rape as comedy, profanity, characters, script

"Wag the Dog" is a biting satire of U.S. Presidential politics. It has been compared to "Dr. Strangelove", and indeed it is similar in feel: both films mine for humor by demonstrating how ludicrous seemingly ordinary events and...

Pros: Funny
Cons: Not serious.

In the midst of political scandal, one movie was made about the president sleeping around that wasn’t trash. In the midst of schlock directing, wedged in between the overdrawn Sleepers and the just-plain poorly plotted Sphere, Barry...

Pros: Dustin Hoffman Dustin Hoffman Dustin Hoffman
Cons: A little slow in parts, somewhat far-fetched

This was an excellent movie, primarily due to Dustin Hoffman.

The plot had an almost eerie parallel to recent events in Washington, D.C. Amazingly, the movie was made before those events took place. This movie got lucky by being the right...

Pros: A few good laughs, interesting plot
Cons: Not really exciting

After hearing that Wag the Dog was a pretty funny, and good movie all-around, I watched it last night with a few friends. I wasn't really all that disappointed about it, but I definitely wasn't in awe of the movie. It's nothing too great, folks....