one of the best true story based films ever

Rating: 9/10 (27 December 2002)

I don't like movies based on true stories. Fiction is a lot more cinematically compelling: the script can be changed at will - new characters or plot twists can be introduced, a couple of explosions can be added, endings can be changed to better please the audience and so on. With real story based films there is none of that and therefore it's almost impossible to maintain suspense or create the sense of purpose.
"All the President's men" is one stark exception. Despite being based on a true story book ( and a non fiction one at that!) it will keep you on the edge of your seat better than any thriller. This is mostly due to a good script and excellent acting performances by Redford, Hoffman and Robards. For those from another planet, the story is about two Washigton Post reporters Bob Woodward (Redford) and Carl Bernstein (Hoffman) and their investigation of the Watergate scandal. Robards is also great as a tough Post editor Ben Bradlee. The story is told through the eyes of Woodward and Bernstein. The president and his men are never seen on the screen which makes their presence all the more sinister.
Movie's portrayal of the day-to-day journalist routine is very believable. Unfortunately, some of the shadier methods employed by the two reporters in their quest for the story (which WERE described in the book) are left out. This makes their characters somewhat one-dimensional. However, this is a relatively small gripe. My only other regret is that the book and hence the movie end too abruptly before the story resolves itself.
This is, of course, inevitable because the latter part of Watergate was dominated by different players than two Washington Post reporters. Not surprisingly, the book "The Final days" (also by Woodward and Bernstein) which deals with that period is not told from the reporters' perspective. Incidentally, "The Final days" is every bit as good as "All the president's men" and I wish someone made a movie based on that.
All in all "All the president's men" is a must see classic that stood well against the test of time.