Running Mates

Starring:Tom Selleck, Laura Linney, Nancy Travis, Teri Hatcher, Faye Dunaway, Bob Gunton, Bruce McGill, Robert Culp, Caroline Aaron, Wayne PÃ©re, Phil Brock, Matt Malloy, Rachel Wilson, Steffani Brass, Janelle Paradee, Bob Clendenin, Jon A. Barnes, Derek Storm, Jessica Drake, J.P. Manoux
Director: Ron Lagomarsino
Studio: Turner Home Ent
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

This made-for-television movie featuring Tom Selleck as the Democratic nominee for president is thin on plot but benefits from its sharp portrayals of the ambience surrounding its fictitious Democratic convention in Los Angeles. The story involves whom Selleck's Governor Pryce will pick as his running mate as well as the candidate's relationships with various women in his life, played by Nancy Travis, Teri Hatcher, Laura Linney, and Faye Dunaway. While the plot at times seems extraneous, the cascade of cynical jokes and one-liners about politics in America, no doubt derived from the experiences of former political operative Gerald Rafshoon, who coproduced the film, keep the momentum going. Real-life pundits from CNN pop up on TV talking about the fictional characters (the film was originally shown on one of Ted Turner's entertainment channels), and the scenes at the fictitious political convention look real enough to be taken from network news clips. The film delivers insightful glimpses of how politicians travel, interact with their fractious staffs (and families), and occasionally startle everyone by taking a moral stand. Perhaps the best of many throwaway lines in the film is delivered by Teri Hatcher, playing a shallow Hollywood fundraiser who needs to find a celebrity to sing the national anthem: "No, Madonna would not be nice, she's too old and she doesn't wear clothes." --Robert J. McNamara

Customer Reviews:

Running mate.......2005-08-31

Made for tv movie. Makes you think how elections for our goverment work. Slow at times.

might even be 5.......2002-04-13

This movie is a good watch. Selleck is perfect for the part and the rest of the cast is excellent. There is a scene later on it the film that is worth the price of admission in itself! Laura Linney,Faye Dunaway,Nancy Travis and Teri Hatcher together in a room talking about the man is one of those moments you watch movies for.Besides the cast and the humor and the politics this is afeel good movie.Watch it.

A great political film........2001-01-11

I had first seen this film on TNT and I liked it immediately. When I found out it would be released on DVD, I got it right away. I was surprised but glad that the film is presented in a widescreen format. The film had a great cast which gave good performances. The film's humorous moments were also enjoyable. This movie can be compared to the film "The American President" and the series "The West Wing". This is one of the best films ever made. I think that this film is really worth watching.

Running Mates - a TNT original Movie.......2000-10-04

Having now seen "Running Mates", I can offer a few thoughts. While talking about the film in earlier interviews, Tom Selleck stressed that It should not be seen as competition for "West Wing" and the like but rather as light entertainment ("Capra-esque") with a political backstory. Selleck, in his own laid back way, is capable of just the required touch to make his character work. He seemed at times tired but any candidate at that stage of his campaign would be...the fact remains that integrity shines out from everything he says and does. As to the rest of the cast..... Nancy Travis had her most powerful scene early on in the limo. Fiery and moving... Laura Linney (The Truman Show) as campaign manager had the most prominent role, second only to Selleck and took full advantage of it. Faye Dunaway is an accomplished actress of long standing and she handled the emotional role of Meg Gable brilliantly. Which leaves Teri Hatcher's Shawna. Her Hollywood liason is not based on any particular person in showbiz but Shawna is surely everyone's idea of what the leader of a Hollywood Coalition would be. She showed talent as a light comedy actress, also in a dramatic scene with Selleck and in the later powder room scene. Someone mentioned that the ending in the conference hall was predictable but emotionally satisfying....my feelings exactly. An excellent TV movie.

Average customer rating:

Running Mates
grabbing headlines

Running Mates
Starring: Diane Keaton , Ed Harris , Ed Begley Jr. , Ben Masters , and Robert Harper
Director: Michael Lindsay-Hogg
Manufacturer: Hbo Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000BYA4FQ
Release Date: 2006-02-14

Description

When old school friends meet, they soon become lovers. Only problem is, he's running for President! Will love conquer all and leave him enough energy to conquer the voters? Only time and this hilarious comedy will tell.

Customer Reviews:

Running Mates.......2007-03-12

Ed Harris is excellent as a Senator who wants to be President. Diane Keaton is good as the author of children's books who attracts the attention of the Senator, because he couldn't have her in high school???? She has some good lines that all of us would like to say when the political "handlers" try to stiffile her independent mouth. Keaton would be better if she would just stop playing her Anne Hall character in every film. Ed Begley is excellent as her excentric brother who is fearful of everything possible, because he lost his girlfriend. Ed Harris saves this film, as he often does, by acting like we would like for our Senators to act... with integrity.

grabbing headlines.......2001-03-27

Director Michael Lindsay-Hogg is no stranger to films about politics, having made the Nixon era parody Nasty Habits . Here we get a Bill and Hillary Clinton-ish parallel featuring Ed Harris as a Presidential candidate and Diane Keaton as his fiance with a past. At first the HBO teleplay by A. L. Appling ( a pseudonymed Carole Eastman) is happy to present an amiable battle of the sexes comedy, giving Diane Keaton a wit which undercuts the perceived reactionary nature of politics as compromise. However things get serious when Harris' spin doctors uncover a pseudo-pornographic anti-Nixon film Keaton has participated when previously married to an "artist", which is seen as potentially damaging to Harris' position. When the film is screened the actress is clearly not Keaton and though it's a stretch to imagine Keaton doing the film, that is the point. When Harris is confronted by the "scandal" he delivers a speech to the media, denouncing their interest in Keaton's past activities as being irrelevant to his capability as a future President. Eastman here is touching on the perception of the voter, predating Clinton's Lewinsky scandal, and whether or not one believes the press' reaction to Harris' condemnation probably measures one's level of naivety/optimism/cynicism. The discovery of the film is a plot point which lifts the narrative when things threaten to collapse. The point of Keaton's outspokenness making her an inappropriate First Lady are sledgehammered home, with Keaton hating the media coverage until her personality begins to disappear. She is an author of children's books, The Frog Prince being her most awarded, which stands as a metaphor for Harris and his political ambitions. Harris is probably better being a player than romancing with Keaton, his splintered focus and shallow sincerity authentic. And although Keaton is charming and funny, the initial romance doesn't ring true, with she wearing sunglasses at their first meeting and he repeatedly commenting on how attractive she is. Even a speech Keaton gives to embarass him at lunch, which convinces him to hire her as a speechwriter isn't that particularly funny. Eastman however does come up with otherwise great lines - I liked Keaton objecting to Harris' scrutiny with "there's looking, and there's ocular invasion", her "How did I sink to these heights", and "Did you spring from the womb and ask the way to the oval office?". Lindsay-Hogg provides a nice cut from Harris delivering the same speech at a church and then a synagogue, though he doesn't do much to help Russ Tamblyn as the one who provides Keaton's film. Mention is made of Ed Begley, Jnr as Keaton's oddball brother, and the running gag of the Joe Cocker song You are so Beautiful.

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