
Power
1986, Drama, 1h 51m
12 Reviews 1,000+ RatingsYou might also like
See More
Eye of the Needle

Soldier Blue

The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca

$ (Dollars)

About Last Night ...
Where to watch
Power Photos
Movie Info
Once-noble media consultant Pete St. John (Richard Gere) is now employed by a number of corrupt politicians. A potential client is Jerome Cade (J.T. Walsh), a businessman who wants to run for U.S. Senate. St. John begins to suspect that Cade may have significant dark secrets and starts investigating. This causes conflict with Arnold Billing (Denzel Washington), a ruthless member of Cade's staff. Meanwhile, St. John's former friend and partner, Wilfred (Gene Hackman), questions his motives.
Cast & Crew
Richard Gere
Pete St. John
Pete St. John
Julie Christie
Ellen Freeman
Ellen Freeman
Gene Hackman
Wilfred Buckley
Wilfred Buckley
Kate Capshaw
Sydnet Betterman
Sydnet Betterman
Denzel Washington
Arnold Billing
Arnold Billing
E.G. Marshall
Senator Sam Hastings
Senator Sam Hastings
Critic Reviews for Power
Audience Reviews for Power
-
Sep 17, 2010In an earlier review I mentioned that corruption on the police force is a theme Lumet beats to death, but in Power he gets to beat up the media too, just as he did in Network. But as Roger Ebert says, "Network had a plot, and Power does not." The film seems to explore several issues that, in 2010, we now accept as commonplace. We realize - or at least should realize - that we basically vote on politicians based on the efficacy of their media consultants. In all honesty, I can't remember if I knew this in 1986, so I don't know if Lumet is exploring new ground. Also, I don't think Power is structurally sound. It seems awfully episodic and stagey. I normally don't blame a film for this, but the piling on of scene upon scene with stagnant shots and relatively stagnant dialogue affects the film's pace. Finally, Lumet gives little clues as to who the bad guy is. In Find Me Guilty, the prosecutor has a whiny, petulant moment, and I immediately knew he was going to lose. In Power, Washington's character is introduced associating with an Arab, and in Hollywood, Arabs equal "bad" and "oil." Yes, Power is more than a little bit racist. On the bright side, it was great seeing Denzel Washington saying "fuck."Jim H Super Reviewer
-
May 15, 2010I really enjoyed this movie. Excellent actors and a great storyline. That's what I look for in a movie :)Cassie H Super Reviewer
Verified