JohnDoe
Bryn
BrentonBulworth (1998)
September 27th 2006 03:39
Bulworth
DVD Cover
Writer/Director:Warren Beatty
Starring:Warren Beatty, Oliver Platt, Don Cheadle, Paul Sorvino, Jack Warden, Halle Berry
Music By:Ennio Morricone
Length:108 Mins
**I will apologize in advance for the long quotes from the films script, but it’s the easiest way to see what this film has to offer.
“Obscenity? The rich is getting richer and richer and richer while the middle class is getting more poor. Making billions and billions and billions of bucks well my friend if you weren't already rich at the start well that situation just sucks/ cause the riches mother fucker in five of us is getting ninety fuckin eight percent of it/ and every other motherfucker in the world is left to wonder where the fuck we went with it/ Obscenity?/ I'm a Senator/ I gotta raise $10,000 a day every day I'm in Washington/ I ain't getting it in South Central/ I'm gettin it in Beverly Hills/ So I'm votin for them in the Senate the way they want me too/ and-and-and I'm sending them my bills/ But we got babies in South Central dying as young as they do in Peru/ We got public schools that are nightmares/ We got a Congress that ain't got a clue/We got kids with submachine guns/ We got militias throwing bombs/ We got Bill just gettin all weepy/ We got Newt blaming teenage moms/We got factories closing down/ Where the hell did all the good jobs go? Well, I'll tell you where they went/My contributors make more profits makin, makin, makin, Hirin' kids in Mexico/ Oh a brother can work in fast food/ If he can't invent computer games/ But what we used to call America/ That's going down the drains/How's a young man gonna meet his financial responsibilities workin at motherfuckin Burger King? He ain't! And please don't even start with that school shit/ There aint no education going on up in that motherfucker/ Obscenity? We got a million brothers in prison/ I mean, the walls are really rockin/But you can bet your ass they'd all be out/If they could pay for Johnny Cochran/ The constitution is supposed to give them an equal chance/ Well, that ain't gonna happen for sure/ Ain't it time to take a little from the rich motherfucker and give a little to the poor? I mean, those boys over there on the monitor/ they want a government smaller and weak/ but the be speakin for the riches 20 percent when they pretend they're defendin the meek/ Now, shit, fuck, cocksuker, that's the real obscenity/ Black folks livin with every day/ Trying to believe a mothefuckin word Democrats and Republicans say/ Obscenity? I'm Jay Billington Bulworth And I've come to say/ The Democratic party's got some shit to pay/ It's gonna pay it in the ghetto/ It's gonna pay it in the….”-Bulworth (rapping)
Bold, daring and calling it like it is. Warren Beatty is a passionate filmmaker, love or hate him you have to admire his dedication and ability to work on his own terms. An expert at manipulating the Hollywood system and no stranger to the political world this is a film that aspires to amuse and inform.
With Bulworth the Beatty myth grows, rumour has it that he was well aware a film like this would never get funding from the major studios. So he wrote two scripts, one a fluffy romantic comedy which the studio green-lit, the other became this scathing political indictment.
Bulworth is a manically depressed, disillusioned liberal senator. Sick of sprouting empty promises, catering to the corporate campaign contributors instead of the community, he hires a hitman to whack him.
Invigorated and free be blatantly honest he takes the opportunity to expose the political system for the self serving money driven illusion it is.
“My guys are not stupid. They always put the big Jews on my schedule. You're mostly Jews, right? Three out of four of you?”-Bulworth
No longer image conscious, with a new sense of personal freedom, he smokes pot and goes clubbing, discovering the hypocrisies of culture, poverty and the American way.
“I mean - come on! You can have a Billion Man March! If you don't put down that malt liquor and chicken wings, and get behind someone other than a running back who stabs his wife, you're NEVER gonna get rid of somebody like me!”-Bulworth
John Doe says:
This is one of those rare films that has an agenda yet still manages to keep you laughing along. It’s serious but hilarious, scathing yet optimistic told with a realistic eye but not cynical, a difficult feat to pull off.
The script is exceptional, I found myself learning a lot of it verbatim purely for the joy of it and to entertain at parties. The cinematography is colourful and appropriate. The precise editing and gangsta rap soundtrack (NWA, Public Enemy etc) give it all an added velocity.
Warren Beatty the actor (Bonnie and Clyde, Parallax View, Shampoo, All Fall Down etc) throws himself into the lead role. Warren Beatty the Writer/Director (Reds) is faultless, motivations are clear and more importantly the films message comes in loud and clear without ever feeling like a lecture.
The ever reliable Oliver Platt will have you in stitches as the senator’s sycophant political adviser. Halle Berry manages to hold her own, which is all you can ask of her. The supporting players are a joy with appearances from the likes of Jack warden(All the Presidents Men), Paul Sorvino (Goodfellas) and Don Cheadle (Boogie Nights).
This film was overshadowed on release by two other wonderful political satires, Wag the Dog and Primary Colours. Totally on par with these other 2 gems, Bulworth is smart, relevant and positive cinema.
“Now let me hear that ugly word, Socialism”-Bulworth
The DVD:
Great transfer but not a substantial extra in sight. A directors commentary or behind the scenes anecdotes would have been most welcome. Fortunately the film alone is still reason enough to pick up the disc.
Starring:Warren Beatty, Oliver Platt, Don Cheadle, Paul Sorvino, Jack Warden, Halle Berry
Length:108 Mins
**I will apologize in advance for the long quotes from the films script, but it’s the easiest way to see what this film has to offer.
“Obscenity? The rich is getting richer and richer and richer while the middle class is getting more poor. Making billions and billions and billions of bucks well my friend if you weren't already rich at the start well that situation just sucks/ cause the riches mother fucker in five of us is getting ninety fuckin eight percent of it/ and every other motherfucker in the world is left to wonder where the fuck we went with it/ Obscenity?/ I'm a Senator/ I gotta raise $10,000 a day every day I'm in Washington/ I ain't getting it in South Central/ I'm gettin it in Beverly Hills/ So I'm votin for them in the Senate the way they want me too/ and-and-and I'm sending them my bills/ But we got babies in South Central dying as young as they do in Peru/ We got public schools that are nightmares/ We got a Congress that ain't got a clue/We got kids with submachine guns/ We got militias throwing bombs/ We got Bill just gettin all weepy/ We got Newt blaming teenage moms/We got factories closing down/ Where the hell did all the good jobs go? Well, I'll tell you where they went/My contributors make more profits makin, makin, makin, Hirin' kids in Mexico/ Oh a brother can work in fast food/ If he can't invent computer games/ But what we used to call America/ That's going down the drains/How's a young man gonna meet his financial responsibilities workin at motherfuckin Burger King? He ain't! And please don't even start with that school shit/ There aint no education going on up in that motherfucker/ Obscenity? We got a million brothers in prison/ I mean, the walls are really rockin/But you can bet your ass they'd all be out/If they could pay for Johnny Cochran/ The constitution is supposed to give them an equal chance/ Well, that ain't gonna happen for sure/ Ain't it time to take a little from the rich motherfucker and give a little to the poor? I mean, those boys over there on the monitor/ they want a government smaller and weak/ but the be speakin for the riches 20 percent when they pretend they're defendin the meek/ Now, shit, fuck, cocksuker, that's the real obscenity/ Black folks livin with every day/ Trying to believe a mothefuckin word Democrats and Republicans say/ Obscenity? I'm Jay Billington Bulworth And I've come to say/ The Democratic party's got some shit to pay/ It's gonna pay it in the ghetto/ It's gonna pay it in the….”-Bulworth (rapping)
Bold, daring and calling it like it is. Warren Beatty is a passionate filmmaker, love or hate him you have to admire his dedication and ability to work on his own terms. An expert at manipulating the Hollywood system and no stranger to the political world this is a film that aspires to amuse and inform.
With Bulworth the Beatty myth grows, rumour has it that he was well aware a film like this would never get funding from the major studios. So he wrote two scripts, one a fluffy romantic comedy which the studio green-lit, the other became this scathing political indictment.
Bulworth is a manically depressed, disillusioned liberal senator. Sick of sprouting empty promises, catering to the corporate campaign contributors instead of the community, he hires a hitman to whack him.
Invigorated and free be blatantly honest he takes the opportunity to expose the political system for the self serving money driven illusion it is.
“My guys are not stupid. They always put the big Jews on my schedule. You're mostly Jews, right? Three out of four of you?”-Bulworth
No longer image conscious, with a new sense of personal freedom, he smokes pot and goes clubbing, discovering the hypocrisies of culture, poverty and the American way.
“I mean - come on! You can have a Billion Man March! If you don't put down that malt liquor and chicken wings, and get behind someone other than a running back who stabs his wife, you're NEVER gonna get rid of somebody like me!”-Bulworth
John Doe says:
This is one of those rare films that has an agenda yet still manages to keep you laughing along. It’s serious but hilarious, scathing yet optimistic told with a realistic eye but not cynical, a difficult feat to pull off.
The script is exceptional, I found myself learning a lot of it verbatim purely for the joy of it and to entertain at parties. The cinematography is colourful and appropriate. The precise editing and gangsta rap soundtrack (NWA, Public Enemy etc) give it all an added velocity.
Warren Beatty the actor (Bonnie and Clyde, Parallax View, Shampoo, All Fall Down etc) throws himself into the lead role. Warren Beatty the Writer/Director (Reds) is faultless, motivations are clear and more importantly the films message comes in loud and clear without ever feeling like a lecture.
The ever reliable Oliver Platt will have you in stitches as the senator’s sycophant political adviser. Halle Berry manages to hold her own, which is all you can ask of her. The supporting players are a joy with appearances from the likes of Jack warden(All the Presidents Men), Paul Sorvino (Goodfellas) and Don Cheadle (Boogie Nights).
This film was overshadowed on release by two other wonderful political satires, Wag the Dog and Primary Colours. Totally on par with these other 2 gems, Bulworth is smart, relevant and positive cinema.
“Now let me hear that ugly word, Socialism”-Bulworth
The DVD:
Great transfer but not a substantial extra in sight. A directors commentary or behind the scenes anecdotes would have been most welcome. Fortunately the film alone is still reason enough to pick up the disc.
"Always look on teh bright side of life. Da, doo,da doo,da doo, da doo"
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Comment by The Daily Sonnet
The Daily Sonnet
Lots of Sonnets
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Ofcourse I totally agree Bulworth is a good movie, no matter how many times I see it (50 ) it still
makes me laugh and ponder with equal delight.
Its going quite cheap to buy, I thoroughly recommend picking it up.
Comment by The Daily Sonnet
The Daily Sonnet
Lots of Sonnets
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Most films I Iove I have seen an unhealthy amount of times but to me a good film is like a good song, it needs to be overplayed excessively before I get my fill.
Most of the films I review on my blog are from my collection at home, I always have them playing in the background while Im critiquing them. This also adds to the view count ofcourse.
Comment by Luke
Book Club
Old Movies
Cane Toad Warrior
I think I've seen Taxi Driver about 15 times, that's probably my record.
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I admit that I have a problem, I just dont want to do anything about it.
Comment by Cibbuano
20/20 Filmsight
Science News
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak
I didn't really like Bulworth.. some parts were entertaining, and I never get tired of Halle Berry, but the white man rapping stuff got old, I thought...
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I can totally understand that, a white man rapping has never been a described as a good idea. (vanilla Ice, ice baby)
For me because it is compltely in context, he is speaking for the lower class so he communicates through their language, I enjoy it.
Also it is a very brave thing for Beatty to even attempt Hes just not a good rapper, but that fits the role.
Did you like wag the Dog and Primary Colours?
Comment by Justin
I agree wholeheartedly - while having an agenda it still keeps you laughing. It effortlessly tries to get a message across and successfully does. One of the most inspirational yet light-hearted political films around.
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I can totally understand why Cib didnt dig it, but for the others I hope you give it a roll of the dice.
Comment by Ginger Snap
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD