{"id":86814,"date":"2024-11-06T21:13:08","date_gmt":"2024-11-06T21:13:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/2024\/11\/06\/the-best-and-worst-presidential-biopics-for-your-post-election-celebration-or-depression\/"},"modified":"2024-11-06T21:13:08","modified_gmt":"2024-11-06T21:13:08","slug":"the-best-and-worst-presidential-biopics-for-your-post-election-celebration-or-depression","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/2024\/11\/06\/the-best-and-worst-presidential-biopics-for-your-post-election-celebration-or-depression\/","title":{"rendered":"The Best (and Worst) Presidential Biopics For Your Post-Election Celebration (or Depression)"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Well, if you\u2019re reading this, it means that you\u2019ve survived yet another presidential election<\/a>.<\/p>\n

You might be thrilled with last night\u2019s results, or you might be banging your head against a wall, wondering how you\u2019re gonna survive the next four years.<\/p>\n

Either way, at least we can all take solace in the fact that the quadrennial barrage of panhandling text messages has now come to an end.<\/p>\n

\"Daniel\"Daniel
(Dreamworks Pictures\/20th Century Fox)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

And now that you can once again turn on your TV without being bombarded by mudslinging political ads, what better time to revisit some of the best presidential biopics?<\/p>\n

Politicians and pollsters might tell you they know what the future holds, but that picture is always a murky one.<\/p>\n

Thankfully, we can always look to America\u2019s past<\/em> for encouraging reminders of challenges we\u2019ve overcome and the heroes who have risen to the occasion.<\/p>\n

Of course, no list of presidential cinema would be complete without a few villains in the mix. <\/p>\n

So whether you\u2019re looking for inspiration or hoping for further confirmation of your theory that Washington, DC is a festering cesspool, we\u2019re sure you\u2019ll find what you\u2019re looking for in the list below. Check it out:<\/p>\n

The Best:<\/h2>\n

Lincoln (2012)<\/h2>\n
\"Daniel\"Daniel
(Dreamworks Pictures\/20th Century Fox)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Arguably the gold standard for presidential biopics, Steven Spielberg<\/a>\u2018s portrait of Honest Abe benefitted from beloved source material (Doris Kearns Goodwin\u2019s Team of Rivals) and a stellar script from Tony Kushner.<\/p>\n

And let\u2019s not forget Daniel Day Lewis\u2019 stunning work in the title role, for which he quite deservedly received his third Academy Award.<\/p>\n

Despite its straightforward title, the film is not<\/em> a comprehensive overview of Lincoln\u2019s brief but epic life.<\/p>\n

Rather, it focuses on the passage of his administration\u2019s most significant piece of legislation: the Thirteenth Amendment, which abolished slavery in the United States.<\/p>\n

As taut as any political thriller, Lincoln is also a character study of tremendous nuance and subtle tragedy.<\/p>\n

It lost Best Picture to Ben Affleck\u2019s Argo, but we think it\u2019s safe to say that this film has more effectively withstood the test of time.<\/p>\n

Nixon (1995)<\/h2>\n
\"Anthony\"Anthony
(Hollywood Pictures)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Many Oliver Stone fans would rank put the director\u2019s better-known political biopics ahead of this one.<\/p>\n

But for our money, Stone\u2019s surprisingly sympathetic portrayal of our controversial 37th president outshines both JFK and W.<\/p>\n

Stone is a Vietnam vet with no great love for Tricky Dick, and he doesn\u2019t shy away from Nixon\u2019s scandalous side.<\/p>\n

But the film\u2019s interest in Nixon\u2019s human side \u2014 his difficult childhood and anguish over Watergate \u2014 came as a surprise to audiences when the film first hit theaters.<\/p>\n

Thirty years later, that multi-faceted approach elevates this three-hour-plus epic above the mass of mediocre political flicks.<\/p>\n

John Adams (2008)<\/h2>\n
\"Paul\"Paul
(Courtesy of HBO)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Okay, you caught us. This one\u2019s not a biopic in the strictest sense of the term, but rather an HBO limited series.<\/p>\n

Hey, ust because we\u2019re writing about politicians doesn\u2019t mean you have to be such a stickler!<\/p>\n

Anyway, about midway through HBO<\/a>\u2018s brief run as the number-one name in the world of prestige TV, the network further asserted its dominance with this seven-part portrayal of our nation\u2019s second prez.<\/p>\n

Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney both received Emmys for their work as John and Abigail Adams.<\/p>\n

They were backed by an absurdly talented cast featuring such heavy-hitters as Stephen Dillane, Justin Theroux, Sarah Polley, Rufus Sewell, Mamie Gummer, and Danny Huston.<\/p>\n

You even get The Bear<\/a>\u2018s Ebon Moss-Bachrach as young John Quincy Adams! That\u2019s two Emmy-winners playing presidents for the price of one!<\/p>\n

Frost\/Nixon (2008)<\/h2>\n
\"Frank\"Frank
(Universal Pictures)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hey, remember when we praised Oliver Stone for his nuanced, sympathetic portrayal of Nixon?<\/p>\n

Well, Ron Howard was less interested in treating his subject with kid gloves in 2008\u2019s Frost\/Nixon.<\/p>\n

In fact, this thrilling film \u2014 which focuses on a famous 1977 series of interviews between Nixon and journalist David Frost \u2014 presents our 37th prez as a paranoid, lecherous, alcoholic megalomaniac.<\/p>\n

And while Stone received criticism for casting Anthony Hopkins as Nixon (not much physical resemblance there), Howard received no such complaints for his selecting Frank Langella as his lead.<\/p>\n

In fact, the screen legend is so spot-on here that it\u2019s almost distracting.<\/p>\n

Interesting footnote: Howard also adapted JD Vance\u2019s memoir Hillbilly Elegy for Netflix<\/a>, making him perhaps the only filmmaker in history to unwittingly<\/em> direct a vice presidential biopic!<\/p>\n

JFK (1991)<\/h2>\n
\"Kevin\"Kevin
(Warner Bros.)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Okay, this one also is not a biopic in the strictest sense of the word \u2014 in fact, the title president barely appears on screen.<\/p>\n

But we\u2019d be remiss if we didn\u2019t include the most famous \u2014 and infamous \u2014 president-adjacent flick of the 1990s.<\/p>\n

Once again, we have Oliver Stone at the helm, and this time, the man has zero interest in \u201cboth sides\u201d subtlety.<\/p>\n

In fact, he\u2019s 100 percent certain that he knows who killed John F. Kennedy (hint: it wasn\u2019t Lee Harvey Oswald), and he\u2019s prepared to make his case with three hours of bonkers melodrama that must be seen to be believed.<\/p>\n

We won\u2019t spoil the ending here, but if you decide to embark on this journey, be advised that it\u2019s best to simply let go and follow along with one of our most controverisal auteurs as he leads you through the looking glass.<\/p>\n

Southside With You (2016)<\/h2>\n
\"Parker\"Parker
(Miramax)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One of two Barack Obama biopics that hit theaters in his final year in office (the other was the somewhat lackluster Barry), this one focuses on the future president\u2019s first date with a young Michelle Robinson.<\/p>\n

As you might\u2019ve guessed this entry on our list is light on politics and heavy on romance, making it an ideal choice for anyone who wishes to temper the vitriol of election season with a reminder that even presidents are human beings.<\/p>\n

Of course, as we watch the young couple-to-be make their way from an African art exhibit to a screening of Spike Lee\u2019s Do the Right Thing, the film gently alludes to the shared beliefs that served as the foundation of their relationship.<\/p>\n

The Apprentice (2024)<\/h2>\n
\"Sebastian\"Sebastian
(Scythia Films)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

And how could we wrap up this list of the best presidential biopics without discussing the most recent entry into that hyper-specific subgenre?<\/p>\n

Like Southside With You, this one focuses on an early period in its subject\u2019s life.<\/p>\n

In it, we meet a young Donald Trump in 1973 as he first makes the acquaintance of notoriously ruthless lawyer Roy Cohn.<\/p>\n

A far more political \u2014 and less flattering \u2014 film than the Obama one, The Apprentice<\/a> sparked major controversy when it premiered on the festival circuit, and there was a time when it looked like it might never hit theaters.<\/p>\n

Your enjoyment of this one might depend somewhat on your politics, but there\u2019s no denying that director Ali Abbassi has crafted a thought-provoking film with two incredible talents (Sebastian Stan as Trump, Jeremy Strong as Cohn) in its lead roles.<\/p>\n

The Worst<\/h2>\n

Hyde Park on Hudson (2012)<\/h2>\n
\"Bill\"Bill
(Focus Features)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Bill Murray stars in a comedic farce about the messy love life of Franklin Delano Roosevelt? What could go wrong?<\/p>\n

Well, quite a lot, unfortunately.<\/p>\n

Murray\u2019s performance is commendable, and the film\u2019s setting (it\u2019s 1939 and the prospect of world war looms over the domestic drama) is fertile ground for international intrigue.<\/p>\n

Sadly, this flick is more concerned with what happens between the sheets than overseas, and it does a poor job of balancing the personal and the political.<\/p>\n

LBJ (2016)<\/h2>\n
\"Woody\"Woody
(Acacia Entertainment)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Speaking of talented actors doing their best with lackluster scripts, Woody Harrelson shines in Rob Reiner\u2019s film about the first days of the Lyndon B. Johnson administration.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, the rest of the flick is as disastrous as Johnson\u2019s approach to Vietnam.<\/p>\n

Beginning on the day of JFK\u2019s assassination and LBJ\u2019s ascension to the presidency, this one has all the makings of a compelling historical character study.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, the pieces never come together. And the less said about Harrelson\u2019s prosthetic nose, the better.<\/p>\n

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012)<\/h2>\n
\"A\"A
(20th Century Fox)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This (very<\/em>) loose interpretation of the life and times of the Great Emancipator has accumulated a cult following over the years.<\/p>\n

And its source material \u2014 a 2010 novel by Seth Grahame-Smith \u2014 is a fun, breezy read.<\/p>\n

But for some reason, director Timur Bekmambetov decided to jettison the book\u2019s lighthearted tone, opting instead to take a deadly serious approach to the story. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s a gamble that doesn\u2019t pay off.<\/p>\n

That said, the action scenes offer some impressive effects and many a good laugh \u2014 even if some of the humorous moments are unintentional.<\/p>\n

Reagan (2024)<\/h2>\n
\"Dennis\"Dennis
(Rawhide Pictures)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

And we\u2019ll wrap things up with 2024\u2019s other<\/em> controversial biopic about a relatively recent White House resident.<\/p>\n

With the look and feel of a low-budget direct-to-streaming release, this hagiographic look at the Great Communicator fails to convincingly make its point.<\/p>\n

Which is strange, as its only argument (\u201cRonald Reagan was the absolute best guy ever!\u201d) is a rather straightforward one.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s never easy to capture the essence of someone as complex as an American president with a couple brief hours of screen time.<\/p>\n

But the challenge is made more prodigious when your director won\u2019t acknowledge that his subject possessed faults that were any more serious than a persistent craving for jelly beans.<\/p>\n

Over to you, TV fanatics! Did we leave out your favorite (or most hated) presidential biopic? Hit the comments section below to share your thoughts!<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n


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