The Special Relationship | Movies

If you've an interest in world politics — and in particular, the Anglo-American relationship, then The Special Relationship is an incredibly insightful movie.

Michael Sheen reprises his role as former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, this time in the run up to his 1997 election victory, when Blair was still very much riding the crest of his political wave.

Dennis Quaid plays controversial former US President Bill Clinton and the movie depicts the fledgling friendship the two enjoyed between 1994 and 2001 with world history as its backdrop.

Quaid is a convincing Clinton and reportedly piled on 35lbs to take on the role.

The movie itself charts Blair's rise to power supported and encouraged by Clinton — and how the pendulum of power saw Blair ultimately more popular and successful than the US leader, whose credibility was dented by the Monica Lewinsky scandal.

Directed by Richard Loncraine from a screenplay by Peter Morgan, it's the third film in Morgan's informal Blair trilogy, which dramatises the UK Prime Minister's political career (1997-2007), following The Deal (2003) and The Queen (2006), both directed by Stephen Frears.

If you're not that politically inclined, this is still a remarkable snapshot of the global political landscape at the end of the 20th century and the early 21st century.

Powerful stuff.