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A Brilliant Conflict

There are women in the film, but none has anything you could call a personality.

It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

Maybe, the chemistry between Shirley McLaine and Nicholas Cage represents the lead virtue of this bitter comedy. And the good reason to see it as not the best but decent story about old age, solitude, eccentricity, duty, loyalty and friendship. Its end is really touching and a good revanche to few not reasonable holes. Short, a nice film. For actors more than the script.

Special Agent In Charge Doug Chesnic (Nicholas Cage), is very fond of his assignment guarding former First Lady Tess Carlisle...as long as it's over.The movie starts with Doug literally floating out of Tess's Ohio home after a hasty farewell to her, and her staff, and smiling all the way back to Washington. Then, in his boss's office, the bomb drops that Tess Carlisle has contacted the President of the United States, asking him to please send Doug back...he's indispensable to her guarding detail.Devastated, Doug tries to get out of it, only to be reminded that the President himself is asking him to do this..."What if I say no?" "I'm going to give you a minute to think about that." his boss replies.And 24 hours later, Doug is back in Ohio, taking breakfast up to Mrs. Carlisle, after just having ripped off the rosebud from the stem in her flower vase, as a way of showing his rage at his reinstatement.Later, after Mrs. Carlisle feels the urge to play a game of golf on a snow covered winter afternoon, Doug decides it's time to lay down the law.He informs Mrs. Carlisle that from now on, the Secret Service intends to do their job by the book which means, no caddying, no running errands, and no making snacks.He's still bragging about straightening Tess out, as he sits in a pub with his colleagues, when the waitress walks up announcing a phone call for Doug which turns out to be none other than...the President who informs Doug in a not-so-pleasant tone that he is to submit to everything Mrs. Carlisle wants.Chastened, with no other choice but to do his job, Doug bites the bullet.But when the former First Lady is kidnapped, Doug and his subordinates go on a desperate quest to find her, resulting in an unlikely filial bond between Doug Chesnic, and Mrs. Carlisle.This movie is a real diamond. Nicholas Cage, and Shirley McLaine are terrific in it, as is all the supporting cast.Hugh Wilson does a great job -not just with this film- but also as the voice actor for the President of the United States.Originally, Review #142Posted On: November, 19, 2011

When I like a movie I give temple a 10 or less depending. This one I enjoy it from the beginning. I laughed and the end was a surprise. Very well done . Both Nicolas and Shirley are marvelous. I do not like when people look for errors in the film, can you see they are fictional all of them. Who care if the signs are not written with the word Ohio. The film was filmed in Maryland.

I know that when most movies start (or for that matter, most books), it takes time to "set things up". But honestly, this film is downright boring for almost the first half. After all, we all know where this film is going...at least generally; either there will be an assassination plot against her or a kidnapping, or some life-threatening event.Once we reach that point, then things get darned interesting. Although with more time for this part of the film, it could have been done much more nicely. The sentimentality was crucial to the film, but more time should have been given to the action; there could have been a better balance.Can I believe Nicholas Cage as a secret service agent? Yes. Can I believe Shirley MacLaine as a feisty First Lady? Yes. Both of these two main actors do very nicely here.The slightly creepy Austin Pendleton is so good here, as he almost always was. You kinda know he's a suspect, and he plays it perfectly. Edward Albert seems rather superfluous here.The other supporting actors all do well here, although none stand out.It's a decent film, but not outstanding. But Shirley MacLaine is a joy and a treasure.