Wag the Dog - Did they know more than they let on?

There are times when art is an imitation of life and then there's 'Wag the Dog,' i.e. the opposite.  Back in 1997, it was 'fiction' when this film portrayed the American President as a bit of a naughty boy when he gets caught with a younger woman in a compromising position in the Oval office.  Therefore, with only eleven days before re-election, he's forced to take the heat off him by any means possible.  In this case, hiring 'fixer' Robert DeNiro and Hollywood producer Dustin Hoffman to stage a fake 'war' in order to divert attention.  Little did the film-makers know (or did they?) how only a little while later (then) President Clinton would find himself in a similar (compromising!) position.

At the time of its release it was looked at as a clever satire of how Governments use the media for modern day propaganda.  Soon after the Clinton scandal, it's now almost become a 'historical document' (or at least reenactment).  If you're a fan of political satire then you have to watch this.  It's up there with 'Yes, Prime Minister, The Thick of It, The West Wing' and 'Veep.'

Now, if the casting of DeNiro (at his best!) and Hoffman doesn't sell this movie to you, then nothing will.  But, if you want more, you also have excellent performances from Anne Heche, Woody Harlelson and William H Macy.  Of course all of those play second fiddle to the film's two 'heavy hitters' who seem to enjoy sparring for the bulk of the screen presence. 

'Wag the Dog' isn't a long film and flies by.  Yes, there are a couple of points that might not have turned out to be true (to our knowledge!), but there's a lot there that will make you think, so if you're looking for a movie that does more than just entertain and show hordes of aliens trashing New York then you should definitely check this one out.  It's brilliantly acted, very clever and truly timeless.

9/10 almost as perfect as The Godfather