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Wag the Dog (1997)

R  |   |  Comedy, Drama  |  9 January 1998 (USA)
7.1
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Ratings: 7.1/10 from 64,998 users   Metascore: 73/100
Reviews: 215 user | 127 critic | 22 from Metacritic.com

Shortly before an election, a spin-doctor and a Hollywood producer join efforts to fabricate a war in order to cover up a presidential sex scandal.

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Writers:

(book), (screenplay), 1 more credit »
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Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 17 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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...
...
...
...
...
...
...
CIA Agent Charles Young
...
John Levy
...
Grace
...
Michael Belson ...
President
...
Amy Cain
...
A.D.
...
Director
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Storyline

After being caught in a scandalous situation days before the election, the president does not seem to have much of a chance of being re-elected. One of his advisers contacts a top Hollywood producer in order to manufacture a war in Albania that the president can heroically end, all through mass media. Written by Christy

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

A Hollywood producer. A Washington spin-doctor. When they get together, they can make you believe anything. See more »

Genres:

Comedy | Drama

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

Language:

|

Release Date:

9 January 1998 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Bite the Bullet  »

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$92,079 (USA) (26 December 1997)

Gross:

$43,022,524 (USA) (1 May 1998)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

| |

Color:

(Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
See  »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

The scene in which shoes laced together are hanging from telephone and electric wires was shot on East Capitol Street a few blocks behind the U.S. Capitol. The production crew left several pairs of shoes behind and they remained hanging on the wires for years. See more »

Goofs

While they are recording the song for the Albanian War, there is a shot of Stanley through the glass of the studio. The reflections of the singers do not match the words or rhythm of the song. See more »

Quotes

Fad King: We're locked into Albania - Why?
Johnny Dean: Albania's hard to rhyme.
Stanley Motss: What are you looking at me for? It's the name of the country.
Johnny Dean: [sighs resignedly, then sings] "Albania, Albania..."
Stanley Motss: That rhymes.
See more »

Crazy Credits

Dustin Hoffman's main title credit is faded in over a close up of a vacuum cleaner. See more »


Soundtracks

I LIKE THE NIGHTLIFE
Written by Alicia Bridges & Susan Hutcheson
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User Reviews

Fascinating and Interesting.
3 July 2002 | by (United States) – See all my reviews

Barry Levinson's under-rated "Wag the Dog" is a brilliant piece of satire which is to the 1990s what "All the President's Men" was to the 1970s. The president is in trouble after a sexual scandal with an under-aged girl. Enter Robert DeNiro and Anne Heche who want to distract the nation with something else as they try to get their boss out of the hot seat. The only problem is: nothing is going on. So it is up to them to create something to rally the country around the executive-in-chief. Now enter sleazy, but high class Hollywood director Dustin Hoffman (in a well-deserved Oscar-nominated turn) who is contacted to start an imaginary war. He agrees and the plan works, but as time goes by more and more problems occur and the lies continue to snow-ball. Levinson's excellent direction and Hilary Henkin's clever screenplay raise the performances of all involved. Naturally DeNiro and Hoffman are guaranteed to excel in a film like this, but good work is also done by people like Heche, Denis Leary, William H. Macy, Woody Harrelson and even Willie Nelson (!?). Somewhat ignored in 1997, but still one of the best films of that year and one of the more important films of the 1990s. 4.5 out of 5 stars.


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A really BAD film!! teekay70
Please explain why it wasn't BORING + CHILDISH kag2-1
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Was DeNiro the 'real' president? mrbisco
They did this movie already in 1995 dreamerboi23
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