アメリカ大統領の公邸であると同時に、多くの職員を擁する“職場”でもあるホワイトハウスを舞台に、大統領と彼を支えるスタッフたちの多忙な日常を描くTVドラマ。国防、貿易、教育、そして麻薬など、現実でもアメリカが抱える問題を背景にしたリアルな物語にほどよいケレン味を加えた、見応えある作品に仕上がっている。 見どころの一つはもちろん、赤裸々に描かれる政治の内幕。ただでさえわかりにくい世界、それもアメリカの…となれば、若干とっつきにくくは感じられるものの、さまざまな趣向がこらされた脚本ゆえ苦にはならない。また、広報部次長のサム、次席補佐官のジョッシュ、報道官のCJをはじめとする、個性豊かな登場人物も大きな魅力。大統領の右腕として働く“超エリート”である彼らのいかにもインテリらしい皮肉な物言いの応酬も楽しいが、その信念や時折見せる優しさや弱さなどの人間らしい部分をひとたび感じれば、彼らが見舞われる試練の数々から目を離せなくなる。
FindKeyのエディトリアルチームがこの作品の深層や歴史を解説しています。
_**Real-life questions about love and infidelity**_ RELEASED IN 1995 and directed by Clint Eastwood, “The Bridges of Madison County” details what happens in 1965 when a world-traveling photographer for National Geographic (Eastwood) inadvertently meets an Iowa Farm wife (Meryl Streep). This is a drama about the nature of eros love and potential infidelity that will only be appreciated by mature viewers. It consists of two people meeting, getting acquainted, discovering something profound and then forced to make decisions that’ll determine the rest of their lives, as well as the consequences for those linked to them. Some questions addressed include: What if you’re married and you meet someone you genuinely romantically love? What if you’re single and you meet a married person you profoundly love? How far do you (or can you) wisely take the relationship? What about others who would be negatively affected by pursuing the relationship? These are all honest questions that most people have to consider at one time or another in their lives. The movie’s not corrupt for asking them or featuring a certain questionable act any more than the story of David & Bathsheba makes the Bible corrupt (or, arguably worse, the story of Judah & Tamar). One character is too loose with morals, which he justifies by criticizing all the “borders” in life. But there are boundaries everywhere: National, state, county, city, school, government, business, social and… marital. The bottom line is: You’re either married or you’re not. If you’re married that means you have a committed lifelong covenant with your spouse. That’s what taking vows is all about. The movie tries to have its cake and eat it too by supporting such loyalty while flirting with the temptation to discard it in the name of true love. Regardless, the picture smacks of real life, real people, real (hard) decisions and is very well done, which is to be expected with Eastwood at the helm. THE FILM RUNS 2 hours, 15 minutes, and was shot in Winterset & Adel, Iowa. GRADE: A-
A bit too cheesy for me to overly enjoy, but <em>'The Bridges of Madison County'</em> is a sweet romantic drama. Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep are a strong pairing and produce very good performances, with Streep particularly standing out... even if her acting Italian doesn't always feel convincing, to me anyway. The parts of the story told via Annie Corley and Victor Slezak aren't the best, though the eventual pay-off with their characters is worthwhile.
