My Fellow Americans (1996)
66%RT Audience Score: 64%
Awards & Nominations: NA
It doesn’t commit any impeachable offenses, but My Fellow Americans lacks strong regulatory oversight of its toothless political satire and misuse of comedic talent
My Fellow Americans is like a political version of The Odd Couple, but with more cursing and less cleaning. While some critics may say the script is weak, I say it’s just the right amount of lowbrow humor to make me laugh out loud. Lemmon and Garner are a dynamic duo, and the supporting cast is just as impressive. Sure, the movie may not be perfect, but it’s definitely worth a watch if you’re in the mood for some silly political satire. Just don’t take it too seriously, or you might end up like Stephen Hunter and wishing movies could be impeached.
Production Company(ies)
Columbia Pictures,
Distributor
Warner Bros.
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Biltmore Estate – 1 Approach Road, Asheville, North Carolina, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for salty language and innuendo
Year of Release
1996
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:DTS Dolby Digital SDDS
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 41m
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Language(s):English, Spanish
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Dec 20, 1996 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 17, 1997
Genre(s)
Comedy/Adventure
Keyword(s)
starring Jack Lemmon, James Garner, Dan Aykroyd, John Heard, Sela Ward, Wilford Brimley, Lauren Bacall, directed by Peter Segal, written by E Jack Kaplan, Richard Chapman, Peter Tolan, comedy, adventure, LGBTQ+, PG-13, Warner Bros., box office, $22.3M, reviewed by Bob Thomas, Desmond Ryan, Jay Boyar, Dave Kehr, Joe Morgenstern, Jake Hamilton, Danielle Solzman, Matt Brunson, Stephen Hunter, Gary Thompson, Roger Hurlburt, David Sterritt, ex-presidents, political satire, assassination attempt, conspiracy, White House, Airforce One, bribery scheme, homeless family, Gay Pride parade, celebrity impersonators, toothless political satire, misuse of comedic talent
Worldwide gross: $22,313,201
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $42,590,222
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,410
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 4,644,517
US/Canada gross: $22,313,201
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $42,590,222
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,138
US/Canada opening weekend: $2,860,334
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $5,459,650
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,087
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $21,500,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $41,038,028
Production budget ranking: 941
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $22,098,978
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$20,546,785
ROI to date (est.): -33%
ROI ranking: 1,577
James Garner – President Matt Douglas
Dan Aykroyd – President William Haney
John Heard – Vice President Ted Matthews
Sela Ward – Kaye Griffin
Wilford Brimley – Joe Hollis
E. Jack Kaplan – Writer
Richard Chapman – Writer
Peter Tolan – Writer
Peter Segal – Director
Jon Peters – Producer
Director(s)
Peter Segal
Writer(s)
E. Jack Kaplan, Richard Chapman, Peter Tolan
Producer(s)
Jon Peters
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (60) | Top Critics (27) | Fresh (28) | Rotten (32)
With two of the screen’s best comedic actors, a script that crackles with wit and surprise, and perfectly tuned direction, My Fellow Americans scores a bull’s-eye.
August 7, 2019
Bob Thomas
Associated Press
TOP CRITIC
Using talent of this order on a script this weak, along with merely decorative appearances by the likes of Lauren Bacall and Wilford Brimley, amounts to the Hollywood equivalent of government waste.
October 22, 2013 | Rating: 2/4
Desmond Ryan
Philadelphia Inquirer
TOP CRITIC
As political satire, My Fellow Americans makes a poor candidate.
October 22, 2013 | Rating: 2/5
Jay Boyar
Orlando Sentinel
TOP CRITIC
Yes, it’s Grumpy Old Presidents, in which most of the comedy comes from the supposed shock of hearing two senior citizens cursing at each other in terms Beavis and Butt-head would find inelegant.
October 22, 2013 | Rating: 2/4
Dave Kehr
New York Daily News
TOP CRITIC
I’d cheerfully vote the writers, director and producers of My Fellow Americans out of office.
October 22, 2013
Joe Morgenstern
Wall Street Journal
TOP CRITIC
Okay, so it’s Midnight Run meets All The President’s Men, but the Lemmon-Garner rapport is dynamite and the glittering support cast of Lauren Bacall, Dan Aykroyd and John Heard are given sparkling dialogue.
October 22, 2013 | Rating: 4/5
Jake Hamilton
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
My Fellow Americans certainly holds up after several presidential administrations but the film could definitely be better.
February 22, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/5
Danielle Solzman
Solzy at the Movies
The humor is clearly of the lowbrow variety, but Lemmon and Garner handle their lines with the conviction of Royal Shakespeare Company members tackling Macbeth.
July 24, 2016 | Rating: 2.5/4
Matt Brunson
Creative Loafing
If My Fellow Americans had ever decided which movie it wanted to be, it might have been pretty good. As it is, the good half and the bad half all but cancel each other out.
October 22, 2013 | Rating: 2.5/4
Stephen Hunter
Baltimore Sun
If only movies could be impeached.
October 22, 2013 | Rating: 1/4
Gary Thompson
Philadelphia Daily News
Mostly, My Fellow Americans is solidly written, offbeat entertainment well-served by the fine leads, clever casting of supporting roles and a script that holds together, even through a less-than-stellar finale.
October 22, 2013
Roger Hurlburt
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Peter Segal’s comedy has a few witty moments surrounded by a lot of silliness.
October 22, 2013
David Sterritt
Christian Science Monitor…
Plot
Kramer and Douglas, two former presidents from opposite ends of the political spectrum, become reluctant allies when they become the target of a conspirator in President Haney’s administration. The two ex-presidents realize they have an enemy within the government and set out to find evidence that will clear their names. The search takes them across the Southern Appalachians; along the way they meet a homeless couple, thwart kidnapers in the parking lot of a fast-food restaurant, and find themselves marching in a gay pride parade.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The film stars Jack Lemmon, James Garner, and Dan Aykroyd.
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