The American President
Metascore
67 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 21 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 21
  3. Negative: 0 out of 21
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  1. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Roger Ebert
    100
    Watching The American President, I felt respect for the craft that went into it: the flawless re-creation of the physical world of the White House, the smart and accurate dialogue, the manipulation of the love story to tug our heartstrings.
  2. Newsweek
    Reviewed by: Jack Kroll
    90
    All this is good fun -- some of which is anticipating the pained reaction from conservative Hollywood-hasslers. Director Rob Reiner has a fine smooth touch, Douglas is charismatic, Bening is scrumptious -- you want to put all these dream politicos in a doggy bag and take them home. [20 Nov 1995, p.28]
  3. Time
    Reviewed by: Richard Corliss
    90
    As bustling and impassioned as the best Sturges and Capra movies, this one captures both the purposeful edginess of Administration Pooh-Bahs (Martin Sheen, Michael J. Fox, David Paymer and Samantha Mathis--nice jobs, all) and the isolation of the President. [20 Nov 1995, p.117]
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  4. San Francisco Examiner
    Reviewed by: Barbara Shulgasser
    88
    An old-fashioned movie. It is simplistic, full of stock characters and easy solutions to difficult problems, and I absolutely loved it.
  5. USA Today
    Reviewed by: Mike Clark
    88
    A super cast injects it with Teddy Roosevelt vitality. [17 Nov 1995, p.D1]
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User Reviews

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User Score
7.9 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 15 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
  1. johnBMWguy
    10
    This is a well crafted motion picture from beginning to end. You can feel yourself going through time to a simpler time. The cast and the acting that they do is perfect from top to bottom if there if a bottom. This movie is in my top ten along with Casablanca and Citizen Kane. Try this movie and I promise that you will not be disappointed.… Full Review »
  2. DarkKnightV
    7
    A fun political rom-com. As a huge fan of "The West Wing," I thought it was fun to see the film that started it all, but also had higher expectations of the dialogue and writing. It was also a little weird seeing Martin Sheen as the chief of staff.… Full Review »
  3. peterd
    10
    Flawless romantic fantasy with all of the pleasure of being inside the presidency - later to be turned into the West Wing.
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