Movie/DVD Review: Dick (1999 Release)

Dick is a late 1990s movie starring Kirsten Dunst and Michelle Willams, that spoofed the Watergate controversy that brought down Richard Nixon. The basic concept is that, while on a high-school field trip to the White House Betsy (played by Dunst) and Arlene (played by Williams) accidentally see papers being shredded. Thinking that they know something more than they really do, Nixon (played wonderfully by Dan Hedaya) offers them a job as official dog walkers for Checkers, the Nixon's dog in the White House. Of course, this totally backfires on him as when the girls see him being mean to the dog, they almost inadvertently take him down by feeding information to Woodward (played by Will Farrell) and Bernstein (played by Bruce McCulloch).

As I said above, the movie is a spoof of real-life events, with a lot of stuff made up for the movie. It basically plays like a long SNL skit, never trying to be historically accurate or taking itself too seriously. It is a very tongue-in-cheek movie that makes fun of pretty much everyone involved in Watergate, including the "good guys". Because of that it really does not come across as politically biased, although if made today, it more than likely would spark rage on the political right. 

For those who have not upgraded to Blu-Ray and look to get the original DVD release, the extras include a commentary track on the movie with the director and writer, deleted scenes, a gag reel, a making-of featurette, the theatrical trailer, and an isolated music soundtrack. I good amount of material for those who like watching the bonus features.

Overall, the movie is very good, and as I said above, does not take itself too seriously. The acting and writing are great, and it features a great 1970s soundtrack. I am not sure if it is streaming on any of the major streaming services, but if you like the movie or generally like comedies that spoof current or historical events, and prefer physical discs to streaming, then this is a good pickup.