All the President’s Men – Review

A real-life investigatory thrill ride is presented in All the President’s Men, which is a focus on the unfolding of the Watergate scandal of the early 1970s. While I personally did not live through this time and lack plenty of context for many names mentioned in the film, I still find it a great presentation and enthralling story.

Based on a book by the real reporters, All the President’s Men puts Bob Woodward (Redford) and Carl Bernstein (Hoffman) in the driver’s seats, pushing their deep dive into government conspiracy to the front pages of the Washington Post. As men are caught breaking into the Watergate offices of the Democratic party, it only registers a small blip initially.

Bob and Carl however sense there is a deeper story here, as they truly cannot understand why it happened, nor how the men were able to secure high profile lawyers immediately after arrest. Just who are these burglars? How come ties to the White House keep popping up as the reporters begin digging? How will the reporters convince their bosses that their information is real, especially when no one is willing to go on record? Just why did this event happen?!

The discovery of clues gives Bob and Carl just enough to try and get their Washington sources to confirm mostly anything. In the world of the press, credibility is everything, so they work non-stop to try and get anything they can on record, all while protecting their sources. And then… maybe a shadowy figure from deep inside the White House can shine a light on things…

While it is a longer movie, it zips right along. It is primarily dialogue also; however, it remains engrossing as the reporters dig into darker corners of governmental workings. It is a representation of another time also, where there actually was a touch more accountability for breaking the law.

The acting is top notch, which matches the stellar script and fantastic direction. A great cast round out all the main roles, and even the minor roles are very well presented. The pacing is quick and information flies around left and right, demanding that the audience pays attention. Considering the fallout of this scandal, this film remains an important piece of history and presents a stunning story that would remain the country’s top government scandal for decades.