An average film with too good of a concept and topic.

Rating: 6/10 (20 September 2014)

In the wake of Watergate and President Nixon's resignation, All the President's Men marked itself as a controversial and compelling film for a nation in a tumultuous time. It was hailed as a masterpiece by critics and it won 4 Academy Awards. Looking back nearly 40 years, the movie is really an example of intriguing subject versus great storytelling. This does not necessarily hinder a decent film, but it also doesn't guarantee a master work either. The pivotal force is centered on the perspectives of two young and eager journalists Carl Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman) and Bob Woodward (Robert Redford). Their mission is to uncover the facts about the Watergate break-in. Instead of investigating a simple burglary, they find themselves in government cover-ups, witnesses that will not talk, and even names that do not exist. A story so juicy and fruitful cannot be overlooked. For two hours and eighteen minutes, the audience observes as these men try to get to the bottom of this rabbit hole.
While the substance is good and it reflects one of America's darkest times, the pace and delivery is cut and dry. Nothing exciting happens in this movie. The character interactions between Bernstein and Woodward are bland. No acting chemistry is present. They are just two guys who happen to work together. There are no memorable moments that these great thespians share together on camera. The supporting cast is equally uninspiring. Jane Alexander, who received an Oscar nomination for her performance, is only in the movie for 10 minutes and acts as if she has a nervous twitch and seems more than happy to walk off the movie's set ASAP. Jason Robards, who did win an Academy Award for supporting actor, appears in a sleepy trance throughout the film as the head of the newspaper organization. The amount of times he sets his feet up on a table and leans back in his chair, I half expected him to take a nap. Frankly, if this is what it takes to win some accolades, sign me up. Jack Warden as Bernstein and Woodward's boss and Hal Holbrook as Deep Throat are the only actors that unveil some infliction and power in their performances. Unfortunately, Holbrook's prowess is hidden in the shadows by cinematographer Gordon Willis, intentionally adding the secretive nature of his character.
I could very well be judging this movie a bit too harshly. I did not grow up during the reign of Nixon, so I cannot comprehend this movie's power at its release. However, I can look back at history from a nostalgic perspective and determine whether I like an older film. Taxi Driver, Network, Rocky, and The Marathon Man were all released the same year as All the President's Men. All of them are excellent films that can never grow dated or lose their entertainment values.
"All the President's Men" is linked to the past and purely documents a single event in time. It relies too much on facts and details that it forgets to tell an engrossing plot. This is the main reason why I cannot accept this movie as a masterpiece. The subject matter did get me through the film once, but I can never see myself viewing it again. The highlights that I do give this movie is the dedication that the set designers put into the recreation of the newsroom, Gordon Willis's lighting style for the night scenes, and the sound mixers accomplishment of overlaying land line phone calls with meticulous perfection. In short, this is an average film with too good of a concept and topic.