TIME BRINGS ALL THINGS TO LIGHT.

As the populist Willie Stark (Sean Penn) wins the Louisiana governorship in the 1950s, a reporter (Jude Law) finds himself doing the dirty work for “the people’s governor”.

A surprisingly stale remake of the 1949 classic. Director Steven Zaillian’s film has every ingredient to make it an explosive drama, including a great story, but curiously fails. This version is slow and focuses much on the pathetic reporter – without analyzing him in a satisfactory way.

No one gives a truly good performance; Penn looks like he’s channeling co-executive producer James Carville.

2006-U.S. 128 min. Color. Written and directed by Steven Zaillian. Novel: Robert Penn Warren. Cast: Sean Penn (Willie Stark), Jude Law (Jack Burden), Kate Winslet (Anne Stanton), James Gandolfini, Mark Ruffalo, Patricia Clarkson, Jackie Earle Haley, Anthony Hopkins, Kevin Dunn, Tom McCarthy, Frederic Forrest. 

Trivia: Co-produced by Zaillian. Forrest’s last film. Meryl Streep was reportedly considered for Clarkson’s role.