The M.O.W.'s Movie Review of All the King's Men (2006)

Good performances, but drags
The M.O.W. - wrote on 08/02/08

Based on a 1946 novel by Robert Penn Warren, the story centers on "Willie Stark" (Sean Penn), a man whose strong ability to make speeches helps win him the Louisiana Governor's race.

We see the story through the eyes of newspaper reporter "Jack Burden", who leaves his job to work for "Stark". Through him, we see the changes in "Stark", who lets power to get to his head. "Burden" in fact turns into a detective as he looks into the dealings of a judge.

There are some strong performances in this film. Penn is really good, especially where he is delivering speeches. Not every performance is perfect however. There were times that I thought scenes lagged because of the performances.

In fact, the movie frequently lags. I found myself paying more attention to message boards on the Internet more than watching the movie. I also had trouble listening to the thick Louisiana accents used nearly perfectly by the cast. Sometimes I would misunderstand a word or two and try to figure out what was being said because of the thickness of some of the accents used.

One thing that helps this movie is that it is shot on location in various places in Louisiana. In fact, cinematography is a strong point in this film. There is one scene in the climax of the movie that goes nicely from full-color to black and white, which I thought was a bit odd when it was happening. But, because of what happens in the black and white part of the scene, I can pretty much see why it was done. There was some good use with cameras used in this movie.

As to the authenticity of the 1930's look of the movie. It looks like they nailed it pretty much. Even the automobiles and media's cameras looked as if they came from the 1930's, which is when this movie is set.

I also thought the soundtrack was pretty forgettable. Not one piece of music stands out in this movie.

Personally, I can only recommend this as something to watch on HBO or another movie network on a rainy day when nothing is on. If you like good performances and/or good cinematography, then you can check this one out. However, I wouldn't put it in the Top 10 of your "Must See" List.