My Fellow Americans Review

My Fellow Americans
Kramer and Douglas, two former presidents from opposite ends of the political spectrum, become reluctant allies when they become the target of a conspirator in President Haney's administration

by Jake Hamilton |
Published on
Release Date:

01 Jan 1996

Running Time:

98 minutes

Certificate:

12

Original Title:

My Fellow Americans

What a shame this got lumped straight in the video basket, as there is enough sly humour and classy acting on show here to fill an entire multiplex. Ex-presidents Lemmon (Republican pennytpincher) and Garner (Democratic arse-pincher) team up to clear their names and fight corruption at the White House. Framed in the blink of an eye, the old-timers reluctantly join forces and set out to uncover the truth while fleeing for their lives across white-trash America.

Okay, so it's Midnight Run meets All The President's Men, but the Lemmon-Garner rapport is dynamite and the glittering support cast of Lauren Bacall, Dan Aykroyd and John Heard are given sparkling dialogue.

The plot pulls you along at breakneck speed, so the plausibility of two US leaders on the lam matters not a jot. What does matter, however, is the excellent script which has a kiss-off line at least once every five seconds and keeps the mush down to an absolute minimum. One running gag concerns the hapless duo being mistaken for kissogram doubles, which works to particularly splendid effect in one ridiculous encounter with an Elvis impersonator.

Sure, these set pieces may teeter on the edge of farce at times but the onslaught of political swipes at Bush, Clinton and Quayle snap it back into reality, and lines like "the homeless didn't vote for me, so let 'em freeze" deserve your vote.
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