All The King's Men [DVD]

Remake of the 1949 feature film based on the novel by Robert Penn Warren - the portrait of a politician's declining morality in the face of his ascent to power. In a character purportedly based on legendary real life southern glad-hander, Huey P. Long, Willie 'Boss' Stark (Sean Penn), a weak provincial political candidate undergoes a transformation into a charismatic man of the people by becoming an unashamed populist. In the classic political transformation, however, his ideology is soon trampled under the weight of accumulating wealth and influence. Jude Law stars as Jack Burden, the former reporter tailing Stark's career arc with a cynical eye. The film features an all-star supporting ensemble cast including Anthony Hopkins, Kate Winslett, Mark Ruffalo and James Gandolfini.