All The King's Men

Aroview: A heavyweight, if not entirely functional adaptation Robert Penn Warren's political novel about a failed idealist turned corrupt, powermongering Southern senator, played by Sean Penn with feral, venomous grit.

Previously brought to the screen in 1949, dir. Zaillian finds plenty to focus his camera on with a regal cast that includes several Brits feigning thick Louisiana accents. Less compelling though is the film’s lack of contemporary bearing, weightily construing its ripe political fable around the singular madness of King Sean, while failing to correlate the lies and duplicity of such politicians with those currently in office.