Directed by:
John BadhamScreenplay:
Jon MaasCinematography:
Norayr KasperComposer:
Arthur B. RubinsteinCast:
James Garner, Peter Gallagher, Audra McDonald, Dorian Harewood, Bruce Gray, Stephen Young, Donna Murphy, Chuck Campbell, Peter Donaldson, Barbara Gordon, Leslie Carlson, Brendan Connor, Doug Murray (more)Plots(1)
In a close presidential race, four journalists are selected to serve on a debate panel just days before the election in an effort to better characterize the candidates. As the debate airs live, the panel bombards one of the candidates with a series of questions about reported physical abuse of women, leading to chaos. Over the next few days, as the pundits and the people debate the ethical behavior of the panel, one reporter, Tom Chapman, decides to seek out the truth about what happened behind closed doors, calling into question the power of the media.Director John Badham (WAR GAMES, SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER) has crafted a fascinating look at the Washington political machinery in THE LAST DEBATE, based on the novel by broadcaster Jim Lehrer. The so-called Williamsburgh Four are intensely played by James Garner, Donna Murphy, Marco Sanchez, and Audra McDonald, with Peter Gallagher playing the reporter out to find the truth. This political drama, packed with real-life pundits, came out the same week that a number of serious ethical questions were raised in the too-close-to-call Gore-Bush race, making the film as timely as it is intelligent. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Cast
James Garner
USA
Best movies:
The Great Escape (1963)
Maverick (1994)
The Notebook (2004)
Peter Gallagher
USA
Best movies:
American Beauty (1999)
Sex, Lies, and Videotape (1989)
Short Cuts (1993)
Audra McDonald
Best movies:
Wit (2001) (TV movie)
Annie (1999) (TV movie)
Beauty and the Beast (2017)
Dorian Harewood
USA
Best movies:
Full Metal Jacket (1987)
Roots: The Next Generations (1979) (series)
12 Angry Men (1997) (TV movie)
Bruce Gray
Puerto Rico
Best movies:
Starship Troopers (1997)
Recount (2008) (TV movie)
My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
Stephen Young
Canada
Best movies:
Patton (1970)
Breaking Point (1976)
Rage (1972)
Donna Murphy
USA
Best movies:
Tangled (2010)
The Fountain (2006)
Spider-Man 2 (2004)
Chuck Campbell
Canada
Best movies:
In the Mouth of Madness (1994)
Genius (1999) (TV movie)
Angel Eyes (2001)
Peter Donaldson
Canada
Best movies:
The Sweet Hereafter (1997)
Deeply (2000)
The Getaway (1994)
Barbara Gordon
Best movies:
The Judge (2001) (TV movie)
Still Mine (2012)
Dead Ringers (1988)
Leslie Carlson
USA
Best movies:
Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel (1987) (TV movie)
The Fly (1986)
Morning Glory (1993)
Brendan Connor
Best movies:
A History of Violence (2005)
The Day Reagan Was Shot (2001) (TV movie)
Guilt by Association (2002) (TV movie)
Doug Murray
Best movies:
Spotlight (2015)
Miss Sloane (2016)
Bonanno: A Godfather's Story (1999) (TV movie)
Martin Roach
Canada
Best movies:
Spotlight (2015)
The Christmas Chronicles (2018)
Paid in Full (2002)
Martin Doyle
Canada
Best movies:
The Company (2007) (series)
The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio (2005)
Man of the Year (2006)
Judah Katz
Canada
Best movies:
Cinderella Man (2005)
Guns (2008) (TV movie)
The Company (2007) (series)
Marco Sanchez
USA
Best movies:
Ambition to Meaning: Finding Your Life's Purpose (2009)
Star Trek into Darkness (2013)
Super 8 (2011)
Sharron Matthews
Best movies:
Cinderella Man (2005)
Take the Lead (2006)
Mean Girls (2004)
Patrice Goodman
Best movies:
Blues Brothers 2000 (1998)
Bad As I Wanna Be: The Dennis Rodman Story (1998) (TV movie)
How to Deal (2003)
Robin Ward
Canada
Best movies:
The Hurricane (1999)
Hockey Night (1984) (TV movie)
Sudden Fury (1975)