Wag the Dog is a 1997 satirical comedy-drama film directed by Barry Levinson and starring Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman and Anne Heche. The film follows a Hollywood producer, played by De Niro, who is hired by the President of the United States to distract the public from a sex scandal with a fake war in Albania. Released during the run-up to Bill Clinton’s impeachment trial, it was seen as a commentary on then-presidential politics.
The film was well received by critics; it was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. It has since developed into a cult classic, with many citing it as an example of prescient political satire and one of Robert De Niro’s best performances.
Plot: The President of the United States is accused of sexually assaulting an underage girl in his hotel room. To distract from this scandal, he hires Hollywood producer Stanley Motss (De Niro) to create a fake war in Albania. With the help of political spin doctor Conrad Brean (Hoffman), Stanley creates an elaborate plot involving fake footage of Albanian atrocities and even a made-up Albanian leader for the media to focus on instead of the sex scandal.
The plan works and soon enough public opinion has shifted away from the President’s indiscretions and towards “supporting” their new cause abroad. However, things start to spiral out of control as Stanley’s plan begins to unravel and chaos ensues in its wake. In order to cover up what they’ve done, Stanley and Conrad are forced to take increasingly desperate measures in order to keep their fake war afloat until election day.
Analysis: Wag the Dog is often cited as one of Robert De Niro’s best performances; he brings life to his character with his usual wit and charm while also conveying all too familiar aspects of real world politics: dishonesty, manipulation, power-plays and corruption. Meanwhile Dustin Hoffman matches him every step of the way as Conrad Brean; Hoffman portrays Brean with equal parts menace and humor that make for an entertaining watch throughout.
The film also serves as an interesting commentary on then-current presidential politics; released shortly before Bill Clinton’s impeachment trial began, many saw parallels between Wag The Dog’s plotline and real world events at that time – particularly concerning how public opinion can be so easily manipulated by those in power when it comes to scandals or other political issues they want swept under the rug.
Conclusion: Is Wag The Dog on Netflix? At present, no – but you can watch it on DVD or rent it from various digital streaming services such as YouTube or iTunes if you’re looking for some great politically themed satire that still holds up today!