What Do The Critics Say?

"Peter Morgan's script is ambivalent about the moral integrity of the two protagonists, or the lack thereof. Blair is presented as both idealistic and sanctimoniously self-serving, and Clinton as wary and calculating but essentially a "straight shooter". The best, and most telling, line comes from a Washington spin doctor: "It's a hell of a lot easier to change what your party stands for than to change what people want." Says it all really, doesn't it?" Mark Demetrius FILMINK "A dramatisation that follows Tony Blair's journey from political understudy waiting in the wings of the world arena to accomplished prime minister standing confidently in the spotlight of centre stage. It's a sharp examination of a brief time when the UK occupied a dynamic place on the world stage. Hope Davis makes a good Hillary Clinton and Helen McCrory bounces likeably off Sheen as Cherie Blair." Nick Dent COURIER MAIL QLD "An intimate and revealing look at the complex, shifting relationship between two powerful political leaders, this intriguing film is food for thought for those who believe anything other than political relationships are all strategic and conditional. Ambition, manipulation and survival are the gears in which we drive through the journey. Footage of the real politicians is seamlessly integrated at relevant times." Louise Keller URBAN CINEFILE "From any angle, this is fairly dry subject matter for a feature film. However, The Special Relationship has an ace in its pack that keeps the experience accessible and downright enjoyable at all times. Screenwriter Peter Morgan is simply the best in the business at enlivening seemingly drab actual events. More importantly, Morgan is a specialist at capturing the ways and wiles of Tony Blair." Leigh Paatsch ADELAIDE ADVERTISER

"As before, Michael Sheen is able to project a kind of toothy sincerity reminiscent of Tony Blair in the early stages of his political incumbency. Hope Davis is excellent as Hillary: a rather softer Hillary than we have seen on public display; and Helen McCrory a wonderfully grounded Cherie Blair. The surprise is Dennis Quaid. We know he's a good actor, but it's intriguing to see how he plays Clinton. the voice he employs which is eerie; and the way he inhabits the persona Morgan has written for him. The famous Clinton charm is on display, and oh so polished. behind it, the political toughness." Julie Rigg MOVIE TIME "Just as the tone of The Queen was intimate and warm, The Special Relationship doesn’t intimidate with too many abstracts about how Downing Street or the White House actually works. The 'mateship' between US President Bill Clinton and Brit PM Tony Blair, set between 1994 and 1998, is loaded and provocative. For all its flaws there's a compelling energy in The Special Relationship." Peter Galvin SBS MOVIES "Morgan constructs a portrait of his subjects with the available historical record. If it's not 100% accurate, it nevertheless rings true. It all works well enough, partly because the performances are strong and partly because the events covered are still fairly fresh in our political memories. It proves the old maxim about who you know being more important sometimes than what you know: personal relationships are pivotal, even in world affairs." Andrew L Urban URBAN CINEFILE "Michael Sheen has played Tony Blair three times, and he's done it with such utter, plausible certainty that it's disconcerting, at times, to look at newsreel images of the real thing. The Special Relationship is once again about power, on a bigger stage; it's about Anglo-American partnerships and foreign policy, and a Blair-Clinton mutual admiration society that's not quite infatuation but fairly close. Expediency and idealism come into play." Philippa Hawker THE AGE

The Inside Story "The Special Relationship" is the third in screenwriter Peter Morgan’s trilogy on Tony Blair, following TV'S "The Deal" and "The Queen". "There is a fascinating story to be told in the relationship between Clinton and Blair, because their professional alliance and personal friendship reset the tone of political conversation between our country and the United Kingdom in a very profound way," says executive producer Kathleen Kennedy. "They reminded us just how entwined the fortunes of our two countries are, and the dramatic effect that our partnership can have on international politics. While Peter Morgan’s screenplay embodies this idea in an incredibly captivating way, what I think will really draw audiences to the film is the emotional core of his story, which reveals the fundamental character of these two titanic political figures." Producer Frank Doelger adds: "What makes Peter’s script so rich is the unique perspective he takes in telling the story. He speaks to the lost opportunity; not only for the Clintons, but, I think, for the world, as well. He sheds new light on events that people think they know and gives them a context that has never been addressed dramatically before." "Peter has an ability as a writer to go behind closed doors in a way that presents fact-based characters who are very convincing and real and show them doing surprising things," says producer Tracey Scoffield. "Because he chooses to use humor in his stories, showing people in domestic environments doing things and having conversations that we wouldn’t normally imagine, we get the pleasure of thinking we’re eavesdropping or given privileged access." Translating the script to the screen was the mission of Emmy® winning director Richard Loncraine. Says Doelger: "Richard is adept at breathing life into the written page. He has a remarkable way of animating a scene that expands its content beyond just talking heads. With a politically based film such as this, it’s essential." Great care was taken to ensure that the line between factual research and artistic license was not blurred. Researchers, consultants and fact-checkers were utilized to make sure that there was a fair and accurate representation of the events depicted. "If you’re dealing with the lives of people who are still out there, you want to make sure you don’t do them a disservice," says Loncraine. "An enormous effort was made to check the accuracy of what we say and do in this film. I think filmmakers have a lot of responsibility to their subjects. Michael Sheen reprises his portrayal of Tony Blair, the role he performed in Morgan’s "The Deal" and "The Queen". "I wanted to see the trilogy through to the end," Sheen explained. "I wanted the opportunity to explore the character of Blair a little bit further, in a slightly more rounded way." Unlike the first two films, which focused on two particular events during Blair’s term in office, "The Special Relationship" shows the progression of the man: chronicling his so-called 'Bambi'-ish political debut in his pre-prime minister days; his growing confidence as he acquires his surer political footing, and eventually his status as a senior statesman working hand-in-hand with the new American president. Commenting on his view of the 'special relationship' between Blair and Clinton, Sheen says: "In the film, you get a sense of the potential, of the excitement of having these two men, as Clinton says, 'on the same team.'’ With their hands on the joystick of power for the first time together, it felt like the world was about to change." Helen McCrory returns to the role of Cherie Blair, having originated her portrayal in "The Queen". A comfort level exists between Sheen and McCrory, who have known each other since drama school. Although they had never acted together prior to "The Queen", they previously ran a theatre production company together and produced plays at London's Donmar Theatre. McCrory ("Charlotte Gray") was drawn to the film because of the opportunity to present not only the public face of the Blairs’ marriage, but the private face as well. What she found interesting about playing Cherie, says McCrory, is "her intelligence. She is a woman with an incredible list of achievements under her belt; she‘s been motivated from a very young age. She became a member of the Labour Party at sixteen; and graduated with one of the top marks from law school. Yet she sat ‘convent silent’ during Blair’s term in office because it was decided that it was best for a woman with very strong ideas to stay out of the limelight. It’s a strange dichotomy being incredibly intelligent and eloquent, and quite vulnerable and clumsy in certain situations." A strong admirer of the UK’s former first lady, McCrory finds Cherie to be "quite formidable" and is delighted with her new public persona since Blair left office, noting, "The press painted her so poorly, yet now Cherie has come out professionally. She’s written a book, she’s far more vocal and she puts her money where her mouth is, championing the entrepreneurial advancements of women in eastern Europe and India." Unlike Michael Sheen ("Blood Diamond" 2006) and 1997 BAFTA Cymru Award Helen McCrory ("Streetlife"), who honed their portrayals of the Blairs on "The Queen", Dennis Quaid and 2009 Robert Altman Award winner Hope Davis came to their roles with an equal dose of trepidation and respect. "I’ve played real people in the past, most of whom were deceased. Taking on the role of Clinton, who is so well known and such a distinctive character, was rather daunting. But I have a philosophy that the thing which I’m most afraid to do, I should do. Nobody has played 42nd President of the United States William J 'Bill' Clinton before, except in parody, and I thought this was an opportunity, really," 1988 & 2003 Independent Spirit Award winner Quaid ("The Big Easy" & "Far from Heaven") said. Hope Davis watched endless hours of film and video of Hillary Clinton and listened to extensive tapes of speeches in preparation for her role as first lady, as well as reading all of her books. Turning Quaid into the president was the responsibility of two time Emmy® winning hair and make-up designer Daniel Phillips (2000 & '06), whose goal was to help the actors slip into their roles without caricaturing, carbon-copy makeup. Although Clinton’s nose is a distinctive characteristic, it was decided to forego any attempt to duplicate it on Quaid, so more subtle touches were chosen. Phillips ("The Edge of Love" & "The Duchess") oversaw all the actors’ metamorphoses. Michael Sheen’s naturally curly hair had to be straightened for Blair. Helen McCrory wore an array of wigs to reflect 1996 to 2000. Hope Davis was fitted with special teeth and various wigs for her Hillary Clinton portrayal. With the look of the real characters in place, dialogue coach Penny Dyer ("The Queen" & "Elizabeth: The Golden Age") had to make sure the actors had the authentic voices of the people they were portraying. "We never attempt to do an impersonation, because that is something that comedians do," says Dyer. "Actors inhabit the characters, and my job is to bring the anchor qualities that will help create the reality of that person. It’s not just about vowels and consonants. It’s really about helping them find the physicality, the vocal quality and the energy that informs their character." The actor benefited from the best kind of research: personal experience. Quaid (younger brother of Golden Globe winning actor Randy Quaid) spent a weekend in the White House with the president in the 1990s and occasionally played golf with him. In addition to having been up-close and personal with Clinton, Quaid read numerous books on him, finding his autobiography "My Life" to be the most revealing and most helpful in examining the day-to-day process of being a president. The job of visually creating the worlds of the world leaders from the United States and the United Kingdom fell to 1998 Evening Standard British Film Award winning production designer Maria Djurkovic ("Wilde"). With the daunting task of creating seventy one sets in seven weeks, Djurkovic and her team set about designing and mounting everything from the Oval Office to Downing Street to the interior of the Elysee Palace in Paris to a refugee camp in Kosovo, all in practical locations and sound stages in and around London. Despite the familiarity that most audiences have with the images of the president’s Oval Office or the prime minister's Downing Street address, Djurkovic did not feel slavishly tied to reality. "There was something interesting about not just specifically recreating those spaces, but creating, instead, those worlds by getting the essence of the place," Djurkovic ("Billy Elliot" & "Mamma Mia! The Movie") explained. Extensive research and actual visits to some of these locations allowed Djurkovic to exercise her own artistic license, in accordance with 1996 and 2009 Berlin International Film Festival award winning director Richard Loncraine, to bring the look and feel of the real locations to the screen. She received cooperation from both the While House and Downing Street and was allowed to tour the facilities. "It was fantastic. We had a tour of the West Wing and I stood in the Oval Office and saw Sasha Obama and her dog, Beau, playing in the yard." Djurkovic was intrigued with the noticeable differences between the two seats of power. "The White House is far glossier, with a polished look that makes it feel more American. Downing Street, on the other hand, hasn’t had an interior decorator near it ever. You have a beautiful Sheridan dresser on one side of the fireplace and a photocopier on the other." Another contrast could be seen between the opulent spaces and the unstructured set for the refugee camp that the art department literally threw together for the Kosovo scene." Michael Sheen has an impressively varied list of film credits that includes, most recently: the voice of the White Rabbit in "Alice in Wonderland", "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" and "The Damned United". Sheen will be seen in the upcoming high-tech adventure "Tron Legacy" and in the drama "Beautiful Boy." In January 2009, Sheen was announced on The Queen’s annual honor list as being appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his contributions to the arts. Dennis Quaid has an extensive list of film credits including: "G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra", "Vantage Point", "The Day After Tomorrow" and "The Rookie". Hope Davis is a celebrated actress of stage, TV and screen. Her credits include: "The Matador", "Hearts in Atlantis" and "About Schmidt". Helen McCrory, has received acclaim for her performances on stage, screen and TV. Most recently, McCrory played Narcissa Malfoy in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" and voiced the character of Mrs Bean in "Fantastic Mr Fox". Her other film credits include: "Enduring Love", "The Count of Monte Cristo", "Interview with the Vampire" and "Becoming Jane". The films soundtrack was composed by 2007 ("The Queen") and '09 ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button") BMI Film Music Award winner Alexandre Desplat. What's It All About?

The time is 1996, and the Blairs and the Clintons are a unique foursome: each of them an extremely bright lawyer; with a kinship forged in shared ideology and genuine affection. When world events and personal watersheds shake the very foundation of their relationship, the men and their wives must come to terms with the ephemeral nature of power and, oftentimes, friendship. What starts as the formality of friendship between two national figures evolves into a genuine connection, a meeting of kindred spirits, of ideological soul mates in their domestic agendas. In early 1998 the world gasps as the White House is rocked with a scandal that will change the face of American politics. Later, the bond between Blair and Clinton is tested over the festering crisis in Kosovo, as Blair’s call for action clashes with Clinton’s pragmatic approach. It soon becomes obvious that, at the heart, these are two very different men, perched on a political see-saw as their positions change. Blair's star is on the rise as Clinton's begins to decline.

The Verdict "It would be stupid for cinemagoers to go into "The Special Relationship" and expect the four main cast members who portray the Blair's and the Clinton's, will look, behave and have exactly the same mannerisms as we have seen them display in public life. What we do get from Sheen, Quaid, McCrory and Davis are characters that closely mimic these real life identities to the point that we feel comfortable enough to convince ourselves that 'to all intents and purposes', they are, for the sake of the film, the real deal. Sheen and McCrory have now made the characters of Tony and Cherie Blair their own. But the big surprise package for many who take in "The Special Relationship" will be the performance of accomplished actor Dennis Quaid who plays William Jefferson Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III but later took on the name of his stepfather Roger Clinton, after his mother Virginia, remarried in 1951) the 42nd President of the U.S.A. (January 20th 1993 to January 20th 2001).'Baby Boomer' Clinton, despite his indiscreet conduct while in office, left the White House with the highest end of service approval rating of any President since WW2. Quaid gives us an insiders look at the charasmatic man from a number of angles. Hope Davis also comes across as convincing too. A fascinating look at history in light of what has evolved in recent times. Deserves a larger audience than it will probably attract. Exceeds "Frost/Nixon" on every level. 4 STARS." The Production Team

Director Writer Producers Original Music Cinematography Casting Production Design Art Direction Costume Design

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Richard Loncraine Peter Morgan Frank Doelger/Tracey Scoffield/Ann Wingate Alexandre Desplat Barry Ackroyd Nina Gold Maria Djurkovic Dean Clegg Consolata Boyle

Who Is Playing Who?

Michael Sheen Dennis Quaid Helen McCrory Hope Davis Adam Godley Mark Bazeley Lara Pulver Chris Wilson Demetri Goritsas Mark Barrows Kerry Shale John Schwab

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Tony Blair Bill Clinton Cherie Blair Hillary Clinton Jonathan Powell Alastair Campbell Intern Gordon Brown The Strategist American Stratogist Advisor to the Clintons White House Reporter

Run Time 92 minutes Rated M [AUST] Copyright ©2010 - Roadshow Films- All Rights Reserved ©1999-2010 The Movie Pages & impact Internet Services. All Rights Reserved. Protected by Australian and International Copyright. Trademark Laws and Intellectual Property Rights apply.