Not only does writer William Goldman and director Alan J.Pakula
reenergize the material, consequently tricking one into believing it’s
the first time they’ve heard about the topic on hand, but stars Robert
Redford and Dustin Hoffman are so ‘immersed’ in their roles – you can’t
help but feel like it’s happening ‘now’, as opposed to ‘then’. They
‘don’t make ‘em like they use to’ and this is the proof. At
the time, a film about the events of ‘Watergate’ sounded
about as appealing as mosquitos around a barbecue, but thankfully,
thanks to some solid writing, some meticulous direction and two bravura
performers – it surpassed all expectations and then some. Redford
and Hoffman play real-life newspaper reporters Bob Woodward and Carl
Bernstein, a couple of Washington Post scrubbers who enter the big
leagues when they stumble across a political cover-up – one that
would ultimately lead to the president resigning from office. With
the help of mysterious real-life rat Deep Throat (Hal Halbrook),
Woodward and Bernstein ultimately take down the Nixon administation,
nearly at the cost of their journalist careers and reputations.
"Goddammit, when is somebody going to go on the record in this story?!
You guys are about to write a story that says the former Attorney
General, the highest-ranking law enforcement officer in this country,
is a crook! Just be sure you're right” – Washington Post
editor, Ben Bradlee. All the President’s Men
could be the most accomplished political thriller in history.
It’s sad that Hollywood can’t see fit to even attempt to
emulate its all-round thoroughness in this day-and-age. All in all, a fantastic movie…. a welcome premium edition DVD
Extras The newly
released 2-Disc special edition is brilliant. Not only does the film
scrub up really well (and Redford provides gripping commentary on it
– should you wish to select the alternative audio track), but
also the extras are nearly as detailed and entertaining as the film
itself. There’s featurettes on the real Deep Throat
(revealed in 2005 to be former FBI associate W. Mark Felt), a
comprehensive making-of with newly recorded interviews with Redford and
Hoffman, a detailed piece on the two reporters that inspired the story,
and a rather cheesy, but worthwhile, vintage interview with Jason
Robards, appearing on a talk show called Dinah! The only weak link in
the supplementary features section is a brittle old making-of for the
film, initially run upon the films release in the late 70’s.
It’s rather out of earshot and pretty caked to watch. Conclusion:
Movie 90% Extras: 80% 
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