Product: All the King's Men [Blu-ray] (2007)
Rating: 1.0
Longalike Bore
A lot of hype surrounded the opening of this film in Louisiana, as it was both filmed and set here (even though Robert Penn Warren's book wasn't set in any particular state). The story, of course, parallels the political life of Louisiana's "Kingfish", Huey Long. Just in case we couldn't figure that out, Longalike populist Willie Stark sings Long's theme song "Every Man a King", and the final scene plays out on the bronze map of Louisiana that's set in the floor of the State Capitol. Louisiana history notwithstanding, the movie is a dreadful bore, almost all shot in half-light, and mused rather than spoken by the actors other than Sean Penn, who senses the great overacting possibilities inherent in playing Stark. Some here in Louisiana said that the style was true to Warren's downbeat book Others, including a Warren scholar and my 13-year old daughter, shared my opinion.