All the King's Men

Sony Pictures Entertainment

Directed by Steven Zaillian

2 stars

I will now blaspheme the gods of American literature: I do not like Robert Penn Warren’s “All the King’s Men.” An unscientific facebook.com search tells me that the 700-page political tome is the favorite book of 123 of my peers. Preceptor Tom “Your Biggest Fan” Underwood of “Southern Writers Reconsidered” fame begged me to consider this a masterpiece of Southern literature. I think I fell asleep that day in Expos.

The trajectory of the novel is simple: Jack Burden—a jaded newspaperman with a complex personal background—recounts the rise of rural populist Louisiana Governor Willie Stark and his decline into corruption. Ambitious Government concentrators and wannabe Faulkners melt for this stuff.

Steven Zaillian’s new film adaptation of “All the King’s Men” must meet the expectations of devotees of the classic novel, the acclaim of the Academy-Award winning 1949 film of the same name, and the rabid Oscar hunt of its star Sean Penn. The movie will likely accomplish none of these goals, except perhaps the last. And even then, only if Matt Damon is taken out at the awards ceremony in a “Team America”-esque coup.

Undoubtedly, Penn’s performance is the standout component of this generally mediocre movie. As Willie Stark transforms from an idealist political pawn into a power-hungry political machine, Penn astutely changes his character from an endearing underdog—who courts voters in a swamp—into a deceitful tyrant.

Penn’s delivery of fiery polemics against corrupt state government greatly improves upon his emotive outburts from “Mystic River.” Yet, at times, whether because of his prominent cowlick or projectile spittle, Penn’s performance errs towards the mentally-retarded character he played in “I am Sam.”

Less can be said for his supporting cast. Jude Law wilts as Jack Burden, who is the central character of the novel but becomes secondary in the film. Penn Warren’s narrator invokes moral ambiguity and empathy; Law annoys the audience with his poor Southern accent, lack of emotions, and unnaturally waxy skin.

James Gandolfini truly disappoints as politician Tiny Duffy, simply adding a weak Southern accent to his alter ego of Tony Soprano. Kate Winslet’s awkward bangs and dye-job are more memorable than her portrayal of pseudo-femme fatale Anne Stanton; as her supposedly honorable brother, Mark Ruffalo’s limp presence seems equally superfluous to the central plot.

BOTTOM LINE: The filmmakers do an excellent job of editing down the epic tract into a manageable two hours, while still adding a richness of visual detail on Southern life and politics. But Penn Warren’s sweeping prose on universal themes and regional history does not translate into lethargic voiceovers, especially not from the distinctly un-Southern and pouty mouth of Jude Law.

—Reviewer Kristina M. Moore can be reached at moore2@fas.harvard.edu.