Primary Colors

John Travolta pushes the flesh in all of its contemporary political overtones in Primary Colors, which is an intriguing and amusing perspective on the Clinton campaign for the White House. This Mike Nichols-directed picture could attract intellectual viewers due to Travolta's performance as Jack Stanton the President, and Emma Thompson's depiction of a Hillary-like character.

Universal's greatest marketing problem will be to mobilize an audience that may be satiated and overdosed with stories of the president's many extramarital affairs. Still, both Thompson and Travolta are expected to be among the frontrunners for nominations in their respective categories when the Oscars were voted in 1999.

Primary Colors is undoubtedly the funniest and maybe the most cynical depiction of a national campaign since "The Politician", where Robert Redford portrayed a pretty-boy candidate with little to offer except media appeal. At its most fascinating scenes, Primary Colors has a back-of-the-bus, inside-the-motel vibe, illuminating the inner workings of a small-budget, but wildly effective political campaign.

Year of Release: 1998

Stars: John Travolta, Emma Thompson

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81%