All the President’s Men (1976)

Starring: Robert Redford, Dustin Hoffman, Jason Robards, Jack Warden, Hal Holbrook

Directed by: Alan J. Pakula (Klute; Sophie’s Choice; Dream Lover)

Synopsis: The president has been up to some shady dealings. Are YOU a bad enough dude to expose the coverup of the president?

Best parts:
The whole movie is great, but this will do:

And this guy’s afro:

Worst part(s): There should have been a scene were Woodward and Bernstein get into a brutal kung fu battle with Richard Nixon.

Best line: Ben Bradlee: “You know the results of the latest Gallup Poll? Half the country never even heard of the word Watergate. Nobody gives a shit. You guys are probably pretty tired, right? Well, you should be. Go on home, get a nice hot bath. Rest up… 15 minutes. Then get your asses back in gear. We’re under a lot of pressure, you know, and you put us there. Nothing’s riding on this except the, uh, first amendment to the Constitution, freedom of the press, and maybe the future of the country. Not that any of that matters, but if you guys fuck up again, I’m going to get mad. Goodnight.”

Nudity: Just a Dick.

Overall: In honor of President’s Day, here is one of the greatest films ever made that just so happens to be about a president who engaged in a bit of knuckleheadery. I understand that this movie may not be everyone’s cup of American coffee—it’s extremely dialogue-heavy and most of it takes place inside of a newsroom. But I find it absolutely mesmerizing and could watch it over and over again in a filibuster-type scenario. It’s such a fascinating mystery that unfolds perfectly as a detective procedural, putting us in the shoes of Woodward and Bernstein as they uncover layer after layer of the scandal. To preserve this element of mystery, and only allowing the audience to discover what Woodward and Bernstein have discovered, there isn’t a single scene that they aren’t in (at least none that I recall). There aren’t any scenes of a guy playing Nixon yelling at his aides about the conspiracy coming apart, and that’s what makes this movie so captivating. It really makes you feel like you’re coming along for the ride. And as an added bonus, the events of this film actually happened (save a little dramatic license), unlike some other movies about government conspiracies. I really can’t recommend this film highly enough. I love it so much, I actually read the book! Can you believe that? So it’s a must watch, even if you’re not American. Yes, even Canadians would like it! And really, that’s the most remarkable thing of all.

Score: 10 gates made out of water (out of 10)