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What’s the Story?

Reviewed by Nell Minow

In this comedy, President Monroe Eagle Cole (Gene Hackman), the most popular President of modern times, retires to his summer home in the tiny town of Mooseport, Maine and ends up running for mayor against "Handy" Harrison (Ray Romano), the handyman who owns the local hardware store -- and dating his girlfriend (Maura Tierney), too.

Is It Any Good?

3

WELCOME TO MOOSEPORT has a juicy premise and a stellar cast (Marcia Gay Harden and Christine Baranski also costar). So, if the script never rises above the sitcom level, at least the lines are delivered by people who are so good they almost seem like wit. Romano makes a respectable transition from television to film, and if he looks uncomfortable in the love scenes, at least that works with the character. Hackman is sheer pleasure, showing us everything that made Cole want to be President, get to be President, and succeed as President.

There are some nice low-key details and some sly digs at modern politics and celebrity. But please, can we now have a moratorium on guys-who-can't-take-risks-or-commit plot lines? And shrewish she-got-the-mine-I-got-the-shaft first wives? And long-suffering-but-devoted-aides-de-camp with a crush on the boss? And cutesy old folks who use terms like "booty poodle?"

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