All The President's Men

Directed By - Alan J Pakula

Starring - Dustin Hoffman, Robert Redford, Jason Robards, Hal Holbrook

Based on the book by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein on what is the most controversial face of american politics , Watergate. The film stars Redford and Hoffman as Woodward and Bernstein respectively.It is essentially a political conspiracy film much like Pakula's other films but what primarily works for this one is the narrative. The way the entire film goes it makes it feel like a an edge of the seat thriller even if you know the scandal by heart and the climax is one of the most innovative i have seen. Whether its the volatile relationship between the protagonists or the portrayal of the media the script is amazing.One of the most memorable scenes in the films is the scene where Bernstein convinces a government biggie to become his source by counting till ten, Brilliant !!. As for the performances Hoffman is his usual, Dependable and powerful , its amazing to see an actor play a role like Mr. Focker and easily get into the shoes of Bernstein. But the best performance in the film ( and quite surprisingly!!) comes from Robert Redford the rookie reporter who is assigned to the seemingly "pointless" story which turns out to be on of the greatest scandals in history. Redford gives us that vulnerable performance that is missing in his other films ( read lions for lambs).All said, this is one film which is a must watch especially those interested in politics

Rating - 9.0/10